Sian the Vampire Slayer
by Superles
Summary: AU - What if Sian was the slayer and Sophie had a dark past...  Pretty much the Buffy/Angel storyline but with a twist. Part 9 now up :
1. Chapter 1

**Part One**

It was like any other night in Weatherfield, well any other night if your name was Sian Powers. Sian was a vampire slayer, chosen to fight the forces of evil and darkness. She was on her nightly patrol of one of the many cemeteries in Weatherfield. She wasn't alone though, her best friends Chesney Brown and Tina McIntyre had joined her. Sadly so had Katy Armstrong, high schools biggest bitch.

"How much longer do we have to walk around in this cold death hole?" Katy moaned while playing with her nails. "Did she have to come?" Tina whispered to Sian. "We have to respect Chesney's choice of girlfriend, no matter how annoying they are."  
Tina looked behind them to see Chesney and Katy holding hands. Katy giggled to something Chesney had just whisper in her ear, Tina sighed sadly to herself.

Suddenly Sian stopped everyone. "Shh!" She slowly approached a bush where a vampire jumped out at her. Sian steaked him fast no bother, she turned around to find he wasn't alone. There were too many vampires for her to take herself. Yeah her friends could help but they weren't strong enough. Just then a vampire next to Chesney turned to dust. Behind the dust was the most beautiful woman Sian had ever seen. She was around the slayer's height, thin, dressed in black jeans and a black hooded. It was her blue eyes that stood out the most to Sian. In her staring at this beautiful stranger she didn't see the vampire approaching her. She was knocked off her feet, next thing she knew the vampire was on top of her. "Oh god, you never heard of fresh mints!" She reached out for her fallen steak and dusted the bad breathed vampire. She jumped ready for action, to save her friends, only to discover all the vampires dusted and her friends all well. "Ok did anyone else see that hot chick kick vampire ass? OW!" Chesney had eared a slap on his arm from his girlfriend for that question. "Yeah were did she go?" Sian asked whilst dusting herself off. "No idea Sian, but thank god she came." Tina answered. "Can we please go home now?" For once everyone agreed with Katy and headed home.  
Behind them, on one of the mausoleum, the mysteries beautiful woman watched them leave, smiling to herself. "Wow, so that's the slayer."

"It was like another a slayer or something!" Chesney said exited while sitting down on the library table. The gang were all gathered in library at the high school. "The only way that is possible is for the previous slayer to die." Kevin Webster was the school librarian as well as Sian Watcher. "Did you die and not tell us?" Chesney asked getting off the table after getting a dirty look from Kevin. "NO! Of course I haven't." Chesney's comment had knocked Sian out of daydreaming.  
Suddenly the bell went. Chesney, Tina and Katy got up and headed to class. "Everything ok Sian?" "Yeah everything's fine." Sian quickly got her books together and ran out of the library before her watcher could asked her anything else.

In class Sian couldn't focus, all she could do was think about the mysteries female from the night before. '_Her eyes where so gorgeous, and that body - Oh God when did I start thinking about women this way'_ Sian was broken out of thought when a bit of paper hit her head. She looked beside her to see Tina giggling at her. "You back with us now?" "Yeah sorry, just can't get last night out of my mind" Sian thought it was best not to mention it was in fact the stranger she couldn't get out of her mind. "Pretty cool we'll have help though, you could take nights off, we could go to the Bronze or watch movies or..." Sian had already tuned out and back into her own thought.

The rest of the day seem to take forever, as much as Sian loved friends there excitement over a 'new slayer' was driving her mad. That night Kevin had asked everyone to help do research on their mystery saviour, and Sian patrol on her own.  
She was walking home after a long boring patrol. "Well that was a really boring night, I would have even enjoyed Katy's moaning and bitching."  
"You do know talking to yourself is the first signed of madness." Sian turned around throwing a punch, it was force of habit now. The woman easy moved out of the way and ducked under the arm to now stand the other side of the slayer. Sian turned around to see the woman from last night standing right in front of her. She hadn't even notice her approaching. "And you know it's rude to sneak up on people." The stranger smiled to herself but got straight to business. "There is demon just arrived in Weatherfield. It's got huge claws and will be hiding in a dark dump place. It's strong so best leave the friends at home." She started to walk off heading into the dark. "Hey! Now wait a minute. You can't just show up, save us, and then tell me what to do and walk off! I have a right to know who I'm working with. Like, are you a slayer?" Sian couldn't believe the state she was getting herself into over this woman. "I'm not a slayer. And the name's Sophie." She threw a small box at Sian. She opened the box to find a simple silver cross necklace. "My name's Sian." But when she looked up Sophie had already gone.

Sian sat in the library hearing about all the research the others had done the night before. She also added in the new information from Sophie, but kept the part about the necklace out, the necklace she now sat playing with. "This Sophie was right. This demon does have big claws and lives in dark damp place." Kevin handed the book over to Sian to see for herself. '_Whoa she was right. No way should I let my friends fight this._' the slayer thought to herself while looking at the picture of the demon. It was big with claws instead of fingers and it had no eyes on its ugly face. "We think it might be hiding in the old factory down by the harbour, we can all go check it out tonight." "No Tina. I think its best I go alone." Sian took the address from her shocked looking friend. "What do you mean 'go alone'? We always go patrol with you Sian." Chesney too was also shocked and hurt by Sian choice to go solo. "I think Sian might be right Ches." Kevin said noticing the friends upset. "This is a powerful demon. You and Tina could get hurt or worse. Anyway if she does get into trouble hopefully this Sophie will hopefully be on hand to help." This seemed to anger Chesney more. Sian smiled to herself and touched the necklace when her watcher mentioned Sophie. "Oooo nice necklace, though it is a bit Goth, but I guess it suits you. Super freak." Katy sure knew how to make herself known. "Anyway, you coming to class or not Ches." Chesney sulking with his friend and Kevin left the room with his girlfriend without even saying goodbye. Tina also got up and left too.  
In the corridor Tina caught up with her best friend. "You ok Ches?" It was a dumb question. Anyone could see he wasn't. "It's just this Sophie helps out once, ONCE, and we get thrown to the side! We don't even know what she is!" The truth was Chesney was jealous, even though he was dating the head cheerleader he still had a crush on the slayer. "Maybe their right though, that demon does look pretty tough. Plus it means a night off for us." Chesney signed to himself knowing Tina was right. "Sure, I'll ask Katy to meet us at the Bronze. See you later Tina." Chesney headed off to class leaving a sad looking Tina behind, because the truth was she had a crush on her childhood friend.

Back in the library Sian and Kevin were going over there plan of action with the demon when a women entered. "Hi. Sorry maybe you could help me. My name is Molly Compton. I'm the new computing teacher." Sian closed the demon book fast before this new comer saw its contests. "Um Hi, I'm Sian and this is Kevin...I mean Mr. Webster." Kevin just stood there staring at Molly. Sian gave him a nudge. "*cough* Yes *cough* of course, let me show you to your class room." The two adults left whilst Sian giggle to herself. 'i_About time he found someone_./i' She gathered up her stuff and headed to her next class.

It was now night fall and Sian made her way to the factory. In some ways she was hopping not to find the demon or Sophie. She didn't know what it was about this girl but she couldn't stop thinking about her. '_I should speak to Tina about this._' Just then she heard a loud noise from inside the building. She crept up the old fire escape and looked through a broken window. The lights where long broken but with her slayer sight to could make out something moving at the back of the building. "Care for some help?" The sudden voice made the blonde jump, she looked behind to find Sophie, again dressed in black but she now had a ¾ length leather coat on. "How the hell do you sneak up like that?" Sophie crouched down next to the slayer. "It's a talent." Sian couldn't help but smell her new company. She was like cherries, leather and something else. '_God she looks sexy in that coat…Oh god what am I thinking. Oh she's looking at me…OH!_' "Sorry what was that?" Sophie smiled to herself, she was finding herself doing that a lot around this girl '_What the hell,' _Sophie thought '_I never smile_.' "I asked if you'd found anything yet?" Sian felt embarrassed been caught staring but tried to cover it up. "I saw something moving around the back, I was about to check it out when someone came and snuck up of me." She grinned at Sophie. Before she could say anything else the brunette was already up and heading into the building. Sian followed her in. Once inside neither girl could see anything. They made their way to back of the building where they found a pile of dead bodies. Sian thought she was going to be sick, while Sophie looked like she was used to this sort of thing. "Defiantly looks like this is its lair, we should go before it comes back, seeing as neither of us have weapons." The both left fast before the demon returned.

Sophie decided to walk the blonde home. She knew it was stupid seeing as she was the slayer but she didn't want to leave quite yet. '_What is happening to me?'_ Little did Sophie know but the girl next to her was having the same sort of thoughts. "Well this is my stop, thanks for walking me home but you really didn't have to." "I wanted to." The air around them got tense. Both girls couldn't stop looking at each other. Slowly they got closer and closer until – A car alarm across the street went off, breaking the girls from spell. "I should, u'know, head in." At that Sian ran up the past and couldn't get in fast enough. She leant against the closed door breathing hard and smiling to herself. Outside Sophie felt like someone was watching them but when she turned around there was no one. But someone from Sophie's past had been watching the whole thing without the girls knowing.


	2. Chapter 2

Part Two

"You Kissed Her! You've only known her for 5 minutes!" Tina and Sian were sitting in Tine's room the next day. It was the weekend so there was no worry about school. "Almost kissed her. And I know but there is just something about her Tina. Please don't hate me." That morning Sian and informed her watcher about her findings last night. Afterwards to went over to her friends to tell her about the part she didn't tell Kevin. "Sian I would never hate you. I'm happy for you to find this thing with someone, but you know nothing about her except her name, the fact she can kick ass and she wears A LOT of black." Sian knew her friend was right, but she couldn't stop these feeling inside. The spend the rest of the day talking about Tina's new interested in Wicca, school and many other things.

In a small studio flat with very little light shinning through Sophie tended to a wound on her side. After leaving the slayer last night she went back to the factory. Sadly this time the demon had returned. She was standing in only her jeans and bra, which was of course also black. As she finished with the banged she felt a hand stroke her shoulder. "What the hell are you doing here?" Sophie moved away from her visitor and got her tank top on. "Oh can't old friends see each other?" The visitor made herself comfy on Sophie's bed. "You and I were never friends Kylie." Kylie got up laughing to herself. "Old lovers then." She stroked Sophie's cheek. Sophie moved away like she had been burnt. "What do you want? Last I heard you were in France?" Kylie walked around running her fingers along the top of the table, she rubbed the dust off her fingers. "She very beautiful isn't she?" Sophie gave her a 'WTF?' look. "Oh don't act dumb Angelus-"  
"I don't go by that name anymore." Kylie acted like she hadn't been interrupted "- I saw you and the slayer last night. Does she really know what you are?" Sophie took deep breaths trying to steady herself. "Get out!" Sophie said through gritted teeth. By the time she had clamed down Kylie had left. Sophie grabbed her coat and head out into the new night.

After much nagging from her friends Sian had let them join her on killing the clawed demon. Even Kevin had come to help. They all made there way as quite as they could as the demon could very well be in tonight. Sian had an axe with her, Tina a Crossbow, Chesney had a sword that was clearly too heavy for him. Kevin also carried an axe. Katy carried no weapons, as there was 'no way she was getting demon blood on her new top.' They enter the factory weapons at the ready only to discover the demon on the floor minus it's head, that of which was 50 yards away to the right.  
"Well look like someone bet us to it." Kevin stated while lowering his axe. "Great! Means no blood on my top and we can go to the Bronze." Katy grabbed Chesney's hand and started pulling him out before he even had a chance to say anything. Tina followed the couple out leaving the watcher and his slayer looking at the demon. "Kevin, do you think maybe Sophie did this?"  
"Let's hope so."

Kevin had dropped the gang off at the Bronze and headed home with all the weapons, the thought of spending the night with a group of teenagers didn't seem that appealing. Also he fancied calling a centre computer teacher.  
The gang sat at the back on the sofas. Sian hadn't said much all night. She was really hopping it was Sophie who had slayed the demon and not another, more evil thing, had appeared. "Hey Sian, fancy a drink?" Ryan broke Sian's thoughts. He was a nice boy from school who that often made a point of his attraction for Sian. She was about to answer him when someone caught her eye. Blanking Ryan she walked straight up to Sophie. "Hey, you need to get a phone or something. I've been needing to ask you something all night." Without thinking about it Sophie brushed a bit of hair out of the slayer's face. "Yes I did kill the demon, went back last night and it attacked me." Sophie was looking around making sure there was no sign of Kylie. Sian didn't even notice this, her mind was still stuck on the action Sophie had done with her hair. "Have you done a patrol for tonight, yet?"  
"No I was about to go, I'll just tell the others."

Much to Katy's disappointment Chesney wanted to join them, as did Tina. All five of them had been out for the best part of an hour now and had only slayed six vampires.  
"So Sophie, tell us about you. Like what's your last name? What do you do? How old are you? -"  
"What's with all the black?"  
Tina gave Katy a dirty looked and continued. "- Where are you from?"  
"Manchester." Just then Kylie appeared from behind a tree. "Tut tut Angelus you keeping things from your new friends." Sophie stood in front of everyone else, someway trying to protect them. "God if Rosie and David could see you now, they'll be just as sickened as me."  
"Um, who are you?"  
"You should ask Angelus that little boy, that's if you live of course." Kylie pointed behind them. Turning around there was a group of vampires heading towards them. They all got ready to fight. Sophie turned back to find Kylie gone. '_Son of a bitch_.' The brunette ran to join the other in the fight. The vampires were dressed in what looked like armour. Slowly but surely the good guys won, but not without injury. No one had noticed that one vampire had managed to cut Sophie in the same spot as the night before.  
Everyone made their ways home. Again Sophie walked Sian home. "Come in. Please?" Sophie nodding and walk up to the door with the slayer. "Hmm the door is locked, my dad must have gone out." Sian unlocked the door and lead Sophie through into the kitchen. She found a note from her dad stating he had gone out for the night. "You fancy a drink?" The blonde busied herself with getting drinks for them both. The pain in Sophie's side was getting too much, she suddenly grabbed hold of the counter with one hand, the other grabbed her side and she moaned in pain. Sian dropped everything she was doing and ran to Sophie's side. She saw blood on Sophie's hand. "Oh God Soph, what happened!" Sophie leaned slightly onto the slayer. "The demon last night got me, and a vampire just got me in the same place."  
The slayer lead her up the stairs and into her bedroom, she sat her down onto the bed. "Take your coat and top off, I'll go get the first aid kit." She ran off into the bathroom. She came back with the first aid kit but stopped in the door when she saw Sophie standing with her back to her in just jeans and a bra. '_Wow even her back is beautiful_' She was snapped out of her dirty thought when she saw the blood on Sophie's side. Slowly, and with shaking hands, Sian tended to Sophie's wound. The brunette seemed unfazed by it all but really inside all she wanted to do was grab the slayer and kiss her. Once it was done, she stood up and put her top back on. "Look I should get going." "No! I mean please, stay here tonight." Sian walked closer to Sophie. The air around them got tense again, closer and closer there faces became. "I. Really. Should. Be –" There lips meant in the most tender kiss either had ever had. They kissed again and again becoming more passionate. Hands started to become involved, that's when Sophie pulled back and looked away. "Soph? You ok?" She turned back around fangs twigged in the mood light, he eyes where also yellow like cats. Sian screamed at the top of her lungs. Sophie panicked and jumped out of the window. Sian's dad, who had just arrived home, bust through the door running over to his draughter. "Sian are you ok? What happened?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three**

"Sophie's a vampire!" Tina was still in shock on what she had been told. They all were, mostly Sian. "But she must be a good vampire, right Kevin? She's been helping us out and everything." They were all gather in the library, even though it was a Sunday Kevin had keys to the school. Sian kept seeing Sophie's vampire face every time she closed her eyes. She couldn't believe the best kiss of her life had ended in the worst shock of her life. Kevin re-enter the main library from his small room to the side. He was carrying an old book with him, reading its contents. "Did you say this woman last night was called Kylie?"  
"Yeah she also called Sophie, Angelus and something about a Rose and Daz."  
"It was Rosie and David." Tina corrected Katy with a smudge look on her face.  
"Oh dear god." kevin put the book down and looked at his slayer, she hadn't said a word since telling him everything about last night. He couldn't find it in her heart to say what he had just read. Chesney walked over and started to read out the page.  
"Angelus is the worst/most evil vampire in history. She was sired in 1756 by the vampire Kylie. After rising Angelus sets about murdering her entire community, culminating in an attack on her own house. For over a hundred years, with Kylie at her side, she murdered many people all over the world. Angelus took great pleaser in her killings. One explain could be of Rosie, the young daughter of a victor. Angelus tortured and raped her to the point of madness then sired her. Angelus believed Rosie was her "masterpiece", an everlasting example of her finest cruelty, as Rosie's immortality means that her torment shall never end. Over a hundred years ago she disappeared. Wow she's old huh?" Chesney attendant to lighten the mood hadn't worked. Sian couldn't believe it, this beautiful, young looking women she thought she was falling in love with was a 200-year-old vampire.  
"Maybe she disappeared because she chose to become good?" Tina chipped in seeing how upset her friend looked. "She was cursed by a tribe of Kalderash Gypsies." Everyone turn around to see Molly Compton stood at the doors. She joined them all at the table and explained how she was part of the Kalderash clan. She explained how Angelus had tortured and murdered the favourite daughter of the clan, in 1898 and was cursed by have her human soul restored, thus forcing her to accept massive amounts of remorse, guilt and torment for all the lives she had taken as a soulless beast.

In her flat across town Sophie didn't know what to do with herself. All she meant to do was help the slayer not go and fall for her.  
"She'll want to kill you now u'know."  
"Leave me alone Kylie." Kylie laughed moving more forwarded into the room.  
"What did you think? She'd look at your face... your true face... and give you another kiss?"  
"I mean it. Leave or I'll make you." Sophie was starting to lose her temper.  
"I'm not afraid of you Angelus. I bet she is, though." That was it, Sophie lost her cool and pushed Kylie up against the wall. "Mmm. You're hurting me. I like it." She licked her lips. Sophie pushed away from her former lover.  
"Just go!"

Back across town at the Powers' home, Sian had finally spoken but it was only to say she was going to her room, where she was going to get ready for patrol. Once inside she leant against the door, head back, eyes closed. She let out a sign and looked to her bed. That's when she noticed Sophie's coat on the chair next to the bed. She walked over and picked the leather coat up. She brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply. A single tear rolled down her face. She wiped the tear away, puts the coat back down and gets ready for patrol.

Tina was the only one to join the slayer that night. Chesney and Katy wanted 'alone time'.  
"God what does he see in her?"  
Sian laughed at her love sick friend. They walked for a bit more talking about Chesney, school and everything else that came to mind.  
"So have you seen Sophie yet?"  
"It was only last night Tina."  
Suddenly the hairs on the back of Sian's neck stood on end. She shot her head around looking for the vampires she felt near, she started to get gossebumps on her arms and she knew what vampire was near.  
"I know your there Sophie."  
Sophie stepped out from behind a tree, dressed in her usual back. "Not sure whether your going to stake me or not?" Sophiw came closer to the slayer and friend but not to close. "I'm not going to stake you, but I am mad at you. You could have told me!" Tina backed away from them worried they may start fighting.  
"And say what? Oh hello slayer, I'm a 224 year old vampire with a soul, please don't stake me!" The 'should be' lovers stared intently at each other till Sophie broke it. "Where's Tina?" Just then they heard a scream from behind them. They found the young witch gone. "Oh shit, where has she gone?" The slayer went into slayer mode while the souled vampire sniffed the air. "What are you doing?"  
"It was Kylie, I can smell she was here." The vampire ran off in the direction of the smell. The slayer had a look of 'ew gross' look on her face but got over it fast and followed Sophie.

A cross town they found themselves in an alley near the Bronzes. In was a drag ally with rubbish all along the sides and a hooker standing smoking. "Trust a low life vampire to life somewhere like this." Sophie kept her back to the slayer and sniffed the air again. "She in my apartment." The vampire took off and went through the second door on the right. Sian stood there cursing herself for what she said. "Shit!" She sighed then entered the door herself.

Sophie got in first to find Tina tied to a chair in the centre of the room. She could smell the blood coming from her neck.  
"Don't worry lover I only took a drop, the rest is for you." Kylie appeared, her fangs out, from the darkness and stood behind the witch as the Sian entered the room.  
"You're not one of them Angelus-"  
"I'm not one of you either!"  
Kylie laughed to herself and moved around the chair to stand in front of Sophie. She placed one hand on Sophie's hip the other on her cheek. "No your not, your disgusting." She scared her nails down Sophie's cheek like she had done so many years before. When the brunette looked back up she had her fangs out too. She pushed Kylie away and started to fight with her. Sian felt it was best to leave the vampires to it and help her friend. The slayer had moved her friend just in time as Kylie threw Sophie at the chair shattering it. Without anyone noticing she grabbed a bit of the broken leg. She jumped up and pushed Kylie against the wall. "Mmm you always did enjoy it up against the wall." Sohpie growled at Kylie's comment and laughter. Kylie pushed the souled vampire off her and flipped her against the wall. She leaned in, their faces were millimeters apart. "Come back to me Angelus." Sophie looked at her old lover then over at the slayer she was falling for, with her friend limp in her arms. She looked down at the floor, when she looked back up her face was normal again. She looked Kylie straight in the eyes. "I'm so sorry." She leaned in closer to her. Kylie leaned in closer expecting a kiss, when suddenly she moved away with a shocked look on her face. Everyone looked down and saw the broken chair leg sticking out of the old vampire's chest. She looked up at Sophie then turned into dust.  
"You should get her to the hospital." Sophie told the slayer without even looking up from the pile of dust on the floor. Sian wanted to go over and hold her but knew what she had said was right and left with Tina.

A couple of nights later everyone was in the Bronzes. Chesney and Katy were strutting their stuff on the dance floor. Sian sat at the table with Tina, who was still a bit weak from the attack at Sophie's. "You spoken to Sophie yet?"  
"No, I've not seen her. She looked so sad after stalking Kylie."  
"She looks alright now." Tina grinned pointing behind the blonde. The slayer turned around and saw Sophie standing near the door. She was in her normal black jeans and a low cut black top, she looked hot. Sian got up, heading over to her. They meet half way.  
"I just wanted to see if Tina is okay."  
"She's good. You?"  
"Yeah I'm ok thanks. Look this can't…"  
"…ever be anything. I know. For one thing you're 224 years older than me."  
"I just got to… I got to walk away from this."  
"I know. Me too." They stood there looking at each other. Sian lowered her voice to a whisper. "One of us has to go here."  
"I know." Sophie whispered back. They looked at each other a moment longer, then they closed in for a kiss. Their kiss became more passionate. Sian put her arms around Sophie's neck. After a few minutes they separated, Sian moved back but not all the way.  
"You okay?" She asked the vampire.  
"It's just..."  
"…painful. I know. See you around?" Sian walked away with even waiting for an answer. She really didn't want to but it was the best thing to do. Sophie just stood there watching her go. If the slayer had looked down at vampire's chest she would have noticed the deep burn of a cross her necklaces had left.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part Four**

It had been a week since Sophie had staked Kylie. The vampire and slayer had been avoiding each other, and their feelings.  
The gang where out patrolling, many attacks had been happening in shops and cafes at night. All victims had two puncher makes in their necks and loss of blood. They had been trying to find the vampires responsible. A couple of savours had described the attackers as two elderly ladies.  
"You seen Sophie at all Sian? Maybe she could help?" The slayer got butterflies in her belly just from the name of the Vampire. "No Ches, I've not seen her all week. Anyway we're not getting anywhere here, let's head back to Kevin's."  
Everyone headed back to the watcher's house. When they entered the house Sian's butterflies came back. Sophie was standing in the living room next to the fire. Kevin came through from the kitchen.  
"Oh good your back. Sophie has some information that may help us."  
Everyone sat down and got ready for what the souled vampire had to share. She stayed standing next to the fire.  
"Their names are Rita and Emily. They may look elderly but they act like children. They love causing trouble. They do the whole old lady act till they get your trust then they bite you."  
"How do you know so much about them?" Tina asked from her place on the floor.  
"Kylie sired them in 1879. They saw us…doing something in an alley. They shouted some things at us. Kylie thought it be funny to sire them. They travelled with us for awhile but thankfully they went there own way. It's the first time I've seen them since."  
"Do you have any idea where they could be hiding?"  
"Sorry I don't Kevin."  
They talked for a bit longer about things till Kevin believed it was time for everyone to leave.

Once home the slayer entered her room and sighed. Seeing Sophie standing there made all her feelings rushed back. She got dressed for bed and was about to get into it when she heard a tap at her window. She looked over to see Sophie standing outside. She opened it up and let the vampire in.  
"Hey, sorry you were about to go to bed. Um it's just I left my coat here." Sophie looked everywhere but in the slayers eyes. 'J_ust get the coat and leave Sophie_' "Oh there it is." She headed over to the chair next to the bed and got it. She turned back to leave to find the slayer sitting in front of the window. "How have you been, not see you since…"  
"Since I staked Kylie. I'm ok with it Sian." Sian liked the sound of the vampire saying her name. Things went silent between the two, both thinking what they'd love to do but shouldn't.  
"So these two vampire, get the feeling you don't like them." Sian giggled at the look on the vampire's face. "Oh god no. It really was like hanging around with a couple of kids." They smiled at each other. The vampire cleared her throat. "So I'll see you and the gang tomorrow night to look for these two?" Sian moved out of the way of the window. "Yeah see you tomorrow."  
Sophie left the room through the window wishing she could kiss the slayer good night. Sian climbed into bed wishing the same thing. She slept dreaming of the beautiful vampire.

The next night the gang had meet Sophie in one of the many graveyards of Weatherfield.  
"Um wouldn't it be best to try the stores? That's were they've been attacking people?"  
"Sure it's not so you can go shopping babes?" Chesney laughed at his own joke but he's girlfriend didn't look too happy about it.  
"Aw the little boy thinks he's funny, Rita."  
"But he is cute, Emily."  
The two elderly vampires came out from behind a tree.  
"Oh Angelus didn't know you hanged about with such cute and yummy friends."  
"It's Sophie now Rita. What are you two up to anyway?"  
"We're just having fun **Sophie**." Emily giggled, then grabbed Rita and kissed her.  
Everyone but Sophie looked away feeling some what sick.  
"Ew, make them stop Ches." Katy spoke for everyone whist hiding in her face in her boyfriend's chest.  
"Don't knock it till you try it sweetie." Rita said when the kiss had stopped. The slayer had had enough and went for the vampires. Sophie ran to help her. For oldies Rita and Emily sure put up a good fight. The fight has moved away from the other three, they felt it was best to stay back. Emily had just knocked Sian onto the ground. She was just getting back up when Rita knocked Sophie on top of her. The vampire landed in between the slayer legs. They both looked deeply into each other eyes. Sophie was breathing heavy. "We, Should, stop…" her broken sentence was cut short by the slayer reaching behind her head and pulling her down for a kiss. The kiss lasted for a few minutes when finally the vampire pulled away. She jumped off the slayer just in time as her friends ran towards them. "Did you get them?" Tina asked while Sophie helped the slayer up. "No. They knocked us over then ran away." Sian felt it was best not to tell her friends the whole truth.

"Anyway you guys should be getting home you have school tomorrow. I'll keep looking." Without even waiting for a reply Sophie left.  
"I guess she's right guys. Let's head home." Sian said to her friends. They all started to make there way home. The blonde slayer took one last look behind her, to where Sophie had been standing last, and left too.  
Sian made sure everyone was safely home then headed to Sophie's. She knocked on the door then entered without waiting for an answer. The room was lowly lit, and she could hear the shower just being turned off. After a couple of minutes Sophie came out of a room to the side, she was only in a pair of jeans and her bra. She was drinking blood from a glass. "Sian? What are you doing here?" She put the glass down and put on a black hoodie on. The slayer looked at the glass.  
"Is that…?"  
"It's pigs' blood, don't worry."  
"I wasn't, I just…" She kept looking at the glass.  
"Sian, what are you doing here?"  
Sian shocked her head and snapped out of the trace she was in. "Sorry. I just wanted to see you." She moved closer to Sophie. "Change."  
"What?" Sophie was truly confused.  
"Change your face."  
Debbie moved away. "No, Sian."  
"Please."  
The vampire shacks her head and looked away.  
"Please Soph."  
Sophie looked back with her changed eyes and mouth open showing her fangs. Sian was shocked for only a second then moved closer stroking the vampire's cheek.  
"Sian, we can't…"  
"Shh."  
Sian leaned up and kissed her vampire. When she moved away she smiled at Sophie.  
"I should walk you home, slayer"

The next day Sian and Tina where sitting in the library. They had been doing their homework together when Sian told her friend what happened last night.  
"Oh my god, really? Did her teeth hurt your lips or anything?"  
Sian giggles at her friend, she started blushing. "No, it was really nice."  
"So are you two together then?"  
"I really don't know."  
They carried on doing there homework till it was time for class.

It was night fall and the gang were at Roy's Rolls. They were having a good laugh when Sian notices Rita and Emily entre the place.  
"Oh hello again slayer. Looked like you and Sophie had fun last night." Emily laughed at what Rita had just said.  
"What does she mean by that?"  
"She means we got away 'cause they were busy kissing. We can kiss if you like?" Emily blow a kiss at Chesney. The boy looked at his blonde friend to see if what the vampire had just said was true. The slayer got angry, jumped up and pulled her stake out. "Oh I'm so going to enjoy staking your old ass!" The slayer jumped at the vampires and started fighting. The fight moved out into Coronation Street. Sian finally got the upper hand and staked Rita, at the same time Sophie, who had appeared from nowhere, staked Emily whose back was to Rita. The slayer and souled vampire came face to face. Sian smiled at Sophie. "Thanks."  
"You're welcome."  
Without thinking Sian leaned up to kiss the vampire.  
"Sian what does this mean?"  
The slayer kept her hands on Sophie's chest. "That I can't flight this anymore. I want us to be together…If you want to us too of course."  
Sophie leant down and gave the slayer a peck on the lips.  
"I do."  
They smiled at each other. Then hugged, forgetting about the world around them.  
The gang watched on from inside Roy's Rolls.  
"Aw the make an odd yet sweet couple." Both Chesney and Tina looked oddly at Katy. "What? They do."


	5. Chapter 5

**Part Five**

It had been a month since the slayer and vampire had got together. Everyone had come to accept the star cross lovers. They had been growing closer everyday. The gang even let them patrol on their own sometimes, tonight was one of those night.  
Sophie had Sian pinned up against a wall of a mausoleum, they were kissing passionately. The slayer managed to pull herself away from the vampire. "We really should be patrolling."  
Sophie moved away from her girlfriend, took her hand and carried on with there patrol.  
An hour and three slayed vampires later the couple were once again kissing.  
"Why is Mummy kissing the pretty slayer?" Sophie pulled away from Sian when she heard the sing song voice from her past. When she turned around her fears we're true. A man walked out from behind a tree near her. "Because she's a goodie goodie now, remember Rosie?" He came and stood behind Rosie putting his arms around her. "Oh yeah I forgot. Dirty dirty soul." She hissed at Sophie. Sain stood back watching the scene, when the man had said Rosie she remembered what she had read in the books. That she was a vampire sired by Angelus after she has driven Rosie mad. But she has no idea who the man was, but her money was on David, another vampire she has read about who travelled with Angelus, Kylie, and Rosie. He was sired by Rosie but learnt everything he knew from Angelus, but he's deaths were more violent than the burette vampire.  
"What the hell are you doing here David?" The slayer grinned to herself _'David! Oh I was sooo right.' _  
David moved from behind Rosie, who was swaying to herself, and moved closer to Sophie. "Well we planned on see grandma Kylie but well you staked her. Bad mummy!" Sophie was getting angrier while David got closer. "You two were always either fighting or shagging but you STAKED her!" Sophie punched him square in the face. When he looked back he had his vampire face was on. Sophie also changed her face and the two vampires started fighting. Rosie and Sian just stood there watching there lovers fighting. Rosie clapped every time David got a punch or kick in. Sophie kicked David in the stomach throwing him across the ground. He jumped back up and brushed himself off. "It's been fun Sophie but we got somewhere to be." David started to walk away while Rosie stood there staring at the slayer and Sophie, she tilled her head to side. "Mummy's going to come home soon." She grinned and giggled to herself then took off after David.  
"What the hell was that about?" Sian slipped her hand into her lovers.  
"I don't know Sian, she always did speak in riddles. We should head back and tell Kevin about this."

The couple had made it back earlier then they told the watcher they would be. From the outside it looked like all the lights were off. They made their indoors, as Sian had a spare key, when they heard a noise from the living room. The both got ready for a fight, Sian turned on the light to find a very red faced Kevin jump off the sofa, lying on the sofa was a Molly. Sian looked away embarrassed, Kevin cleared his throat, Molly straightens her clothes out and Sophie stood there like nothing had happened.  
"Sian, What are you doing here?"  
"We ran into something we thought we better share." Sian said still not looking at her watcher. Molly stood up from her place on the sofa. "I better be going, see you both at school tomorrow. Bye Sophie." She left the house faster then needed.  
"Sian you really should learn to knock."  
"Sorry Kevin, just I never thought I'd walk in you doing something like that but really I'm glad you've found someone, really." The slayer hugged the older man. They sat down talking more about Kevin's and Molly's relationship. "So how long has it be going on?" Sophie who was still standing in the door way interpreted them.  
"Rosie and David are here."  
Kevin jumped up again. "Oh dear god. What do they want?"  
"They said it was to see Kylie but knowing David, probably to do with the slayer and to wind me up."  
"Well they better not spoil my birthday next week." Both the watcher and vampire looked at Sian. "What? Well they better not."

Across town in an old mansion Rosie was dancing around the garden she had made. David stood watching her. "I got them to get what you asked for my sweet." Rosie came in to see the vampires helping them lay a box on the table. "But what is it my love?" Rosie walked over to her lover. "Shh. I've got good games for everyone." She leaned up and licked his cheek. "You'll see." She walked over to the box biting her lip. "Are you happy my love?" Rosie pecks inside the box. She inhales and grins. "It reeks of death." She closed it. "This will be the slayers' best birthday." The mad vampire clapped to herself. David was getting more curious with his lover's plan.  
"And why is that?"  
"Because…" She looked happily at the box. "It will be her last."


	6. Chapter 6

**Part Six**

It was the night before Sian's birthday. Everyone had been out patrolling, all together they had slayed about 16 vampires that night. Sian and Sophie had made sure everyone had got home safely and they were now walking hand in hand to Kevin's house, Sian would sometimes stay there as it was easier when coming and going from patrol as her dad didn't know about her other life and he never notice her draughter wasn't there.

"There has been so many vampires this past week, they know something we don't?" Sian asked her lover.  
"There is something in the air, something powerful. I can feel it too."  
"Do you know what it is?"  
"No sorry, I don't"  
They continue walking in silence both thinking what could be coming and if it had something to do with David and Rosie. They were now in front of the watchers house. "You coming in, Soph?"  
"I don't know? Will we find Kevin in a compromising position again?"  
Sian giggled at the vampire's question. "No he's staying at Molly's tonight."  
Once inside the slayer went upstairs to her spare room to get changed. Sophie stayed in the living room and started to light the fire. She sat in front of it waiting for Sian. When she did return she sat in front of the fire across from Sophie.  
"It's past midnight…" Sain looked at the clock on the mantelpiece to see that her lover was right it was 12:05am. "Happy birthday Sian. I have something for you. For your birthday. I... I was going give it to you tomorrow, but..." She handed over a small blue box. The slayer opened it and pulled out a ring with an intricate design.  
"Its beautiful."  
"It's Irish, they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty...and the heart...well, you know. Wear it with the heart pointing towards you. It means you belong to somebody. Like this." Sophie lifted her hand up and showed her own ring on her finger. Sian touched Sophie's hand, she leaned over and kissed the ring. Sophie smiled sweetly at her.  
"Put it on." She took the ring from Sain and slipped it onto her finger for her.  
Sian leant forwarded and started to kissing Sophie. The kiss was starting to get heated, Sophie moved away. "I should be going. I'll see you tomorrow night." She kissed the slayer one last time then left. Sian looked down at the ring on her finger. She smiled to herself then headed for bed.

It was the end of the school day. Sian had stayed behind to do some studying, she had spent all day looking forward to this night. She left the library, she was planning on going out with her friends then see Sophie afterwards. She smiled to herself and looked at the ring the vampire had given her. Just then she bumped into Molly.  
"Oh, my god, Sorry Molly didn't see you there."  
"It's ok Sian, Happy Birthday by the way. Can I give you a lift somewhere?"  
"Would you mind giving me a lift to the Bronze?"  
"No, of course not."  
Sian walked off ahead. Molly smiled to herself, that was just where she wanted to take the slayer.

At the Bronze the lights were on low. The place was quite. There seemed to be no one there.  
Sophie peeked out from behind a pillar and looked around.  
"Where is she?"  
The rest of the gang peeked out from behind the pool table and look up at her.  
"Shhh! I think I hear her coming." Tina said before hiding again with everyone else.

Outside Molly pulled up. She and the slayer got out of the car. Sian then notice three vampires down an alley trying to carry something. _'What are they up too?'_ She took off over to them.  
"Hey boys, is this a private party?" The vampires turned around, they dropped the box and went for the slayer. The slayer was fighting them when she notices she didn't have a stake on her. '_Shit!'_ Lucky for the slayer there were old boxes laying around the alley. She ran towards the vampires then flipped over the top of them. She kicked one of the wooden boxes and broke a piece off. She turned around and jammed it into the chests of the vampire running towards her.

Inside the gang heard the fighting going on outside, they all looked towards a window. Just then Sian and the vampire came crashing through the window and landed on the stage. Everyone got up to watch. Sian scrambled to her feet and kicked the vampire as he came for her. He stumbled back a few steps. The others came closer to see, all but Katy. Sian grabbed a drumstick from a drum set, and stuck it into the vampire's chest and pulls it back out. The vampire exploded into dust.  
Just then Katy jumped up from behind the pool table with her arms raised high.  
"Surprise!"  
Everyone looked back at her. Chesney shock his head at her. Sian hopped off the stage. katy lowered her arms feeling a bit stupid. Sophie walked over to Sian placing her hand on her arm "Are you okay?"  
Kevin came over worried about his slayer too "Yes. W-what happened?"  
Sian pointed behind her "Uh, there were these vamps outs..." She looked around her notching all the balloons and party stemmers. "W-what's going on?"  
"Oh, um... A surprise party." Kevin blew on a party favor. "Happy Birthday." Katy chipped in.  
Sian smiled at everyone. "You guys did all this for me?" She turned and looked at Sophie "That is so sweet."  
"You sure you're okay?"  
"Yes, I'm fine Soph."  
Molly came into the Bronze carrying the box the vampires had dropped.  
"Hey, can somebody give me a hand here?" Sophie and Kevin took it from her and set it down to a table. The slayer moved over next to them. "What is it?"  
"I have no idea. Can it be opened?" Kevin asked Sian.  
"Yeah. This looks like a release right here."  
She worked on the latch and opened the box. Inside there was an arm clad in armour. Sian looked over at Kevin in disgust. Suddenly the arm rose up, and grabbed the blonde by the throat and began choking her. Sian struggled with the arm. Sophie tried to pull it off her. Between the slayer and vampire they managed to get it off. Sophie stuffed it back into the box while Sian stepped back trying to catch her breath. Kevin slammed the lid shut. Sian coughed as Sophie rubbed her back.  
"Well, clearly the vampire's answer to 'what do you get the slayer who has everything?" Kevin shock his head at Chesney for his comment. He turned back to the blonde. "Good heavens. Sian, are you all right?" Sian was she coughing but managed to chock out "Man, that thing had major grip."  
"W-what was that?" Tina talked for the first time, getting over the shock of it. Chesney put his hand on his best friend back. "It looked like an arm, Tina."  
"It can't be. She wouldn't."

Sian looked at her lover. "Soph?"  
"It-it's a legend...way before my time... of a demon brought forth to rid the Earth of the plague of humanity... separate the righteous from the wicked... and to burn the righteous down. They call him the Judge."  
Kevin looked at the box, something clicked inside him. "The Judge? This is him?" The vampire shock her head. "Not all of him."  
Sian raised her hand. "Um, hello, still needing back-story here."  
Kevin cleared his throat and began, remembering something he has read about The Judge. "He, he couldn't be killed, yes? Um, a-an army was sent against him. Most of them died, but, uh, finally they were able to dismember him, but, not kill him."  
"The pieces were scattered, buried in every corner of the Earth." Sophie added.  
"So all these parts are being brought here?" Molly asked.  
"By Rosie? The vamps outside were David's men." Sian answered.  
"She's just crazy enough to do it." Sophie spoke more to herself than anyone else.  
"Do what? Reassemble the Judge?" Tina asked getting more frighten.  
"And bring forth Armageddon." The vampire added.  
Katy was getting bored "Is anybody else going have cake?" She walked off over to the pool table not waiting for an answer.  
Kevin had come up with a plan "We need to get this out of town."  
"Sophie. You have to do it. You're the only one that can protect this thing."  
Sian gave Molly a 'WFT?' look. "What about me? I'm the slayer!"  
"What, you're just going skip town for a few months?"  
"'Months?" Sian did not like the sound of that at all.  
Sophie walked over to her lover and put her hands on her waist. "She's right, Sian. I've got to get this to the remotest region possible."  
"But that's not months."  
"I'm going catch a cargo ship to Asia, maybe trek to Nepal..."  
"You know, those newfangled flying machines really are much safer than they used to be."  
"I can't fly. There's no sure way to guard against the daylight. I don't like this any more than you do, Sian. But there's no other choice."  
"When will you leave?"  
"Tonight. As soon as possible."  
"But it's my birthday!"  
Molly came over and interrupted the lovers. "I'll drive you to the docks."

Across town in David's warehouse, Rosie throw one of her dolls across the room.  
"You lost my present!"  
The third vampire, that had got away, stood in front of David.  
"I know. I'm sorry. But the slayer came out of nowhere…" David grabbed the vampire and pulled him close. "She can't have fun without her box."  
"I know. Please let me try and get it back." David looked over at his lover to see what she thought, she nodded her head.  
"Okay, but you better get it." He pushed the vampire away. The vampire hurried out of the room.  
"Hurry back then." Rosie called after him.

At the docks, Sian and Sophie where making there way over to a ship. Sophie had the box on her shoulder, as they walked arm in arm. Sian leant into Sophie, the vampire kissed her on the head. When they reached the gangplank Sophie sets the box down. They took a few steps away from the box.  
"I should go the rest of the way alone."  
"Okay."  
"But I'll be back. I will."  
"When? Six months, a year? You don't know how long it's going take or if we'll even..." Sian looked down unable to finish.  
Sophie put her hand under the slayer chin and tilled her head up, the slayer had tears in her eyes "Hey, if we'll even what?"  
"Well, if you haven't noticed, someone pretty much always wants us dead."  
"Don't say that, Sian. We'll be fine."  
"We don't know that."  
"We can't know, Sian. Nobody can. That's just the deal."  
"I don't what to do this."  
"Me either."  
"So don't go, Soph."  
Sophie leant down and kissed the slayer. Sian put her arms around the vampire necks. After several kisses they stopped and looked at each other. Sophie was dying to tell the slayer how she really felt.  
"Sian...I..."  
Two vampires suddenly jump at them from some cargo netting. One pulled Sian off of Sophie and threw her back. The other began to fight with Sophie. Sian rolled to her feet. The vampire swigged at her, but misses. She grabbed him and started pummelling his gut. Sophie flipped the other one over onto her back. He got up, and Sophie swinged at him three times, but he blocks all of them. Sophie's next punch landed on the vampire's face. Sian ducked a swing, she lifted herself up on the dock railing and kicked the vampire in the chest with both feet, sending him staggering back into the gangplank. She gave chase and grabbed him by the back of the shirt. He growls. The third vampire dropped out of the cargo netting and ran over to the box, he grabbed it and started to run.

"Sophie! The box!"

Sophie ducked from a roundhouse kick, she grabbed the vampire's arm and flipped him over onto his back. She ran after the third vampire and tackled him to the deck. Sian's vampire shock free of her and shoved her into a stack of crates. He followed up with a roundhouse kick, but she ducked it and he just hit the crates. She made a grab for him, but he punched her in the face. Sophie was getting ready to punch the third vampire in the face but gets distracted when the vampire she was fighting before grabbed the box and made a run for it. The vampire fighting Sian grabbed her by the jacket and roared as he swings her around, over the railing and into the water. Sophie seen her go flying.  
"Sian!"  
She jumped over the railing and into the water after the blonde slayer.

Back at the library everyone was researching about The Judge. Kevin was starting to pace the room "They should be back by now." Tine looked up from the book she was reading. "Maybe Sian needed a few minutes to pull herself together. Poor Sian, on her birthday and everything."  
Just then Sian and Molly came through the doors. Kevin walked over to them. "What happened?" Sian walked further into the room and sat down. "David's guys ambushed us. They got the box."  
"Where's Sophie?"  
"Once she got me out of the water she headed off after the vampires."  
"Water?"  
"Yeah Ches, one vampire got lucky. Thanks again for taking me home to get changed first Molly."  
"That's ok Sian."  
Molly and Sian joined the rest of them with researching.  
Half an hour later Sophie crashed through the door.  
"I know where there hiding."

Sophie shared all the information she had found. Sian jumped up from her sit all in slayer mode. "Right I have a plan. Sophie and I go to the factory and do recon, figure out how far they've gotten assembling the Judge. You guys check any places the boxes could be coming into town. Shipping yards, airports, anything. We need to stop them from getting all the boxes in one place"  
Everyone looked at Sian when finally Kevin spoke for everyone. "Yes, well, actually, that's quite a good plan."  
"This thing is nasty, and it's real, Kevin. We can't wait for it to come get us."  
"Right, yes of course."  
Sian grabbed Sophie's hand and left.

Outside David's warehouse, Sian and Sophie sneaked quietly along the upper level. They look down to see what was going on below. That when they notice the Judge walking into view followed by David and Rosie. The Judge stopped and sensed something.  
"What? What is it?" David asked. The Judge looked around, then up at Sian and Sophie then growled.  
"We got to get out of here." The vampire panicked. They tried to make a run for it, but there was vampires heading them off on both sides. They where captured.

The slayer and souled vampire were brought before David, Rosie and the Judge.  
"Well, well. Look what we have here." David smirked to them.  
"I'm sure our invitations just got lost in the mail." Sian gave a nervously laugh. Rosie clapped her hands "It's delicious." She licked her fingers, she then turned to Sophie. "I only dreamed you'd come. Rrrr." Sophie struggled to get free from the vampires hold. "Leave her alone."  
David laughed. "Yeah, that'll work. Now say 'pretty please'."  
"The girl." The Judge walked closer towards Sian.  
"Chilling, isn't it? She's so full of good intention." Rosie was loving every minute of this. Sophie finally got herself free and stood between the Judge and the slayer.  
"Take me!"  
"No!" Sian screamed trying to get free as well.  
"Take me instead of her!"  
David raised his hand. "Uh, you're not clear on the concept, pal. There is no instead. Just first and second."  
"And if you go first, you don't get to watch the Slayer die." Rosie said sadly. The vampires pulled Sophie back. The Judge reached for Sian. Sophie looked around trying to find a way out of this. Rosie wrapped her arms around David and smiled. Sophie saw some chains holding up David's video monitors. She looked over to see Sian getting ready to defend herself. "Don't touch him!" She shouted to the slayer.  
Sian kicked the Judge in the chest and knocked him back. Sophie shock off her captors and lunged for the chains. The Judge came to a stop beneath the monitors, and Sophie released them. They crashed to the floor on top of the Judge, hard enough to knock a hole in the floor. The slayer struggled free also, and ran to her lover. She spotted the hole in the floor.  
"This way!" She shouted to Sophie. They ran towards the hole, and Sian jumped down into the sewers below. Sian rolled away from the hole, and Sophie dropped down behind her. They got to their feet and start down the tunnels.

Back up inside the Mason, Rosie was not a happy vampire.  
"Go!" She shouted at the vampires working for them. Two vampires rush to the hole.

In the sewers, Sian and Sophie pulled a door closed behind them as their two pursuers drop through the hole and started after them. They vampires looked around to see where they went, but didn't see anyone. They started off down the tunnel, checking the side tunnels as they went, they ran straight past the door the slayer and souled vampire had just shut. When they had gone past Sian opens the door and checked if the coast was clear. Seeing no one she stepped over to a ladder and starts up.  
Sian lifted a manhole cover up, pushing it aside and quickly climbed out into the pouring rain. Sophie followed right behind. She looked around and noticed they where right near her apartment.

"Come on. We need to get inside."

Once they reached the apartment Sophie opened the door and let the slayer in first. She turned the light on once they were safely inside. She took off her coat what was now heavy due to the rain. Sian was soaked through to her skin seeing as she forgot a coat.  
"Sian, you're shaking like a leaf."  
"Cold." Was the slayer answer as she hugged herself trying to get warm.  
"Let me get you something." The vampire got some things from her wardrobe and hands them to her lover. "Put these on. Get under the covers, just to warm up." Sian walked over to the bed and sat down. She looked up at Sophie, the vampire caught on "Oh, sorry." She turned away to give the slayer some privacy. Sian took off her top but then winced and inhaled in pain. "You ok?" Sophie asked with her back still turned.  
"Oh, um…It's okay. I just have a cut or something."  
"Can I... Let me see."  
Sian clutched her shirt to her chest, and whispered "Okay." Sophie turned around and sat down on the bed behind her. She gently touched her back and looked at the cut.  
"It's already closed. You're fine." She reassured the slayer. Sian lent back into the brunette and cuddled her face to hers, Sophie put her arms around the slayer. Sian thought about the events of the day and how her birthday was ruined. She slowly started to cry.  
"Hey what's wrong Sian?"  
"You almost left today S0oph, I almost lost you." She started to cry heavier. Sophie kissed the slayer cheek. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere. I…"  
After a minute, Sian turned to look at the vampire. "You what?"  
"I love you Sian. I try not to, but I can't stop"  
"Me, me, too. I can't either."  
They started to kiss. After a moment Sophie broke it off.  
"Sian, maybe we shouldn't..." Sian cut her off before she could finish. "Don't. Just kiss me." They started kissing again, thing were getting heated. Sophie softly pushed Sian down onto the bed still kissing her.

It was a couple of hours later they where both in bed asleep. Outside there was a lightning striker. Sophie awoke with a start and gasps for air as she sat up. "Ahh!" She got up from the bed and hurried off.  
In the alley outside it was still raining. Sophie came crashing through the door. She was now dressed in jeans and a tank top. She stumbled over some trashcans and fell to the pavement. She cried out in pain and fear.

"Sian!"

In the apartment Sian stirs slight but kept sleeping not knowing her lover was no longer beside her.

"Siaaaannnn!"

Inside Sian stirred again in the bed, she reached over for Sophie. She opened her eyes, suddenly wide awake when she didn't find her there. She looked around trying to find her. She sat up in bed. "Soph?" She got up looking around. Lightning striker again outside. "Sophie?"

Outside the rain had let up. Sophie propped herself up on her hands.  
"Sian."  
She couldn't hold herself up and collapsed onto the ground. She was truly frightened  
"Oh, no."  
A hooker standing in a doorway smoking saw her and slowly walked over to her.  
"Hey. You okay?" She bent down to look at her. "You want me to call 999?"  
Sophie suddenly stood up with her back to the hooker.  
"No. The pain is gone."  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah."  
She span around, her face changed to her vampire one. She grabbed hold of the hooker then violently bite her neck and feed from her. She dropped the dead hooker's body then tilted her head up and blew out the smoke she had just inhaled through the hooker's neck from her lungs.  
"I feel just fine."  
Sophie smiled wickedly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 7**

Across town at the same time in David's warehouse the Judge was kneeling in a corner facing a bunch of storage racks. David walked over and stopped about twenty feet from him. He walked a few feet closer and turns around.  
"I'm not happy, pet. Sophie and the Slayer are still alive. They know where we are, they know about the Judge. We should be vacating."  
Rosie walked up to him. "Nonsense. They'll not disturb us here. My mummy's too smart to face the Judge again."  
David glanced over his shoulder, and looked at the Judge. "What's Big Blue up to anyway? He's just sits there."  
The Judge spoke up from the corner. "I am preparing."  
David rolled his eyes and walked towards him. "Yeah well, it's interesting to me that 'preparing' looks a great bit like sitting on your ass. When do we destroy the world already?"  
The Judge contented facing the storage racks. "My strength grows, and with every life I take it will increase further."  
"So let's take some. I'm bored."  
Just then Rosie started moaning. David looked back at her.  
"Rosie?"  
Rosie collapsed onto the floor and began crying. "Mummy Sophie..."  
David was starting to get concerned and walked towards his lover.  
"Rosie? What is it? Darling... Do you see something?"  
Her crying gave way to an evil smile.  
"She's coming home."

After waiting a couple of hours Sian gave up and headed home. She quietly opened the kitchen door, she looked around, came in and carefully closes it behind her. She headed upstairs wanting to get a shower and changed before joining the others.

In the library, Chesney walked through the door.  
"Well, the bus depot was a total washout. And may I say what a lovely place to spend the night. What a vibrant cross-section of people."  
Molly and Tina looked at him concerned. Katy who had been sitting on the counter also looks worried. Kevin looked up from the book he was reading.  
"No vampires transporting boxes?"  
"No, but a four-hundred-pound wino offered to wash my hair. What's up? Where's Sian?"  
Everyone looked worried at each other, Tina spoke for everyone. "She never checked in."  
Kevin stood up and walked towards Chesney. "If the bus depot is as empty as the... docks and the airport..."  
"Do you think this Judge guy's already been assembled?"  
"Yes."  
"Then Sian could be... Okay, we got to find 'em. Um, we got to go to that place, that, uh, that Manson. That's where they're holed up, right?" Chesney looked at everyone "Come on. Let's go."  
"And do what? Besides be afraid and die."  
"Well, nobody's asking you to go, Katy. If the vampires need grooming tips we'll give you a call."  
Lately the young couple had been fighting quite a bit. Kevin interpreted the lovers tiff before it became more.  
"Katy has a point. Now, if Sian and Sophie were, were...harmed, then we don't stand to fare much better."  
"Yeah? Well, those of us who were born with feelings are going to do something about this."  
Molly stood up at Chesney's words. "Chesney!" She was truly shocked at his harshness.  
tina jump up too. "No, Ches is right! My God, you people are all...Well, I'm upset, and I can't think of a mean word right now, but that's what you are, and we're going to the Manson!" She started to head towards the door. "Yeah!" Chesney followed her. Before they got to the door Sian came through them.  
A huge smile appeared on Tina's face. "Sian!"  
Chesney came up next to them. "We were just going to rescue you."  
Tina throw a look at Kevin. "Well some of us were."  
Kevin frowned at the wanna be witch. "Well, I would have."  
Molly looked behind the slayer then asked where Sophie was.  
"She didn't check in with you guys?"  
Kevin shock her head at the blonde. "No, sorry Sian."  
Katy slide off the counter. "So, what happened?"  
"The Judge, i-is he..."  
"No assembly required, kevin. He's active."  
"Oh, damn it." The watcher whispered to himself.  
"He nearly killed us. Sophie got us out."  
"Why didn't you call? We thought..."  
"Well, we had to hide. Uh, we got stuck in the sewer tunnels, and with the hiding, we just split up... so, no one's heard from her?"  
"I'm sure she'll come by." Tina reinsured her friend.  
"Yeah, I'm, I'm sure you're right."  
"Sian, the Judge, we must stop him."  
"I know, kevin."  
"What can you tell us?"  
"Not much. I, um...I kicked him. It was just like a sudden fever. If he'd got his hands on me..."  
"In time, he won't need to. The stronger he gets, he'll be able to reduce us to charcoal with a look."  
"Also, not the prettiest man in town."  
"I better continue researching, must look for a weak spot. The rest of you should get to your classes."  
Molly stood up from the table and started walking out. "Yeah, I better go, too."  
They all start out. Sian was the first one out the door. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." Chesney mutter to himself holding the door open for everyone else.  
Tina ran out the door shouting at the slayer to wait up. Molly stopped on the way out and turned to Kevin "I'll, go on the 'Net and search for anything on the Judge."  
"Thank you."  
"After classes I'll come back and help you research." Katy patted Chesney as she walked out "Yeah, you might find something useful if it's in an 'I Can Read' book." He looked like he was ready to kill her.

In the hallway Sian was about to go up the stairs then Tina caught up with her.  
"You don't think Sophie would have gone after the Judge herself, do you?"  
"No, she'd know better than that. Maybe she just needed... I don't know. I just, I wish she'd contact me. I need to talk to her."  
They both headed up the stairs. Around the corner Molly was watching them going up the stairs.

In David's warehouse, Rosie was laid out on her back on the big table. David was walking around to her. She was looking up at the ceiling blissfully.  
"Are we feeling better, then?" He asked leaning on the table.  
"I'm naming all the stars."  
"You can't see the stars, love. That's the ceiling. Also, it's day."  
"I can see them. But I've named them all the same name. She titled her head towards David. "And there's terrible confusion."  
"Did you see any further? Do you know what happens to Sophie?  
Just then Sophie appeared at the side door. "Well…" She cleared her throat. "She moves to New York and tries to fulfill that Broadway dream. It's tough sledding, but one day she's working in the chorus when the big star twists her ankle."  
David stood up straight. "You don't give up, do you?"  
Sophie slowly walked towards the pissed off vampire. "As long as there's injustice in the world, as long as scum like you is walking... I'll be around." She was now just a few feet away from him. "Look over your shoulder. I'll be there."  
"Uh, yeah. Sophie, well look over **your** shoulder."  
She turned around, the Judge was standing there, he put his hand on her chest.  
"Hurts, doesn't it?" David grinned wickedly. Sophie looked back at him smiling. "Well, you know, it kinda itches a little."  
"Don't just stand there. Burn her!" David shouted at the Judge. Sophie continued smiling at him. "Gee, maybe he's broken."  
David looked to his lover on the table. "What the hell is going on?"  
Rosie's face took on a look of realization.  
"This one...cannot be burnt. She is clean." The Judge removed his hand from Sophie's chest.  
"Clean? You mean, she's..." It was finally coming to David.  
"There's no humanity in her." The Judge turned and walked away.  
"I couldn't have said it better myself."  
"Angelus?"  
"Yeah, baby. I'm back." Angelus smiled wickedly at Rosie.  
David jumped in excitement "Is it really true?"  
"It's really true." The, now evil again, vampire laughed and walked around the table. Rosie followed Angelus with her glaze. "You've come home."  
"No more of this 'I've got a soul' crap?" David followed Angelus around the table. Where she picks up a cigarette and a match.  
"What can I say, hmm? I was going through a phase." She strikes the match on the table and lit the cigarette.  
"This is great! This is so great!" David couldn't believe the vampire who had taught him everything he knew was back. Rosie walked around on top if the table waving her arms in the air. "Everything in my head is singing!" Angelus started laughing at her, loving the fact she was back. "We're family again." Angelus helped Rosie off the table "We'll feed. Grrr." She then turned to David. "And we'll play." She leaned into him. He put his arms around her. He kissed Rosie on the cheek then moved away turning back to Angelus.  
"I've got to tell you, it made me sick to my stomach seeing you being the Slayer's lap dog.  
Angelus growled and grabbed David by the shirt. It really seemed like they were about to fight when suddenly Angelus kissed him on the forehead and stepped back. David busted out laughing. Angelus and Rosie join in. Once the laugher had died down Rosie walked over to Angelus.  
"How did this happen?"  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
David put his arm around her. "Oh, who cares? What matters is now she's back! Now it's four against one, which are the kind of odds I like to play."  
Rosie leaned towards Angelus and spoke quietly. "Psst. We're going to destroy the world. Want to come?"  
Angelus played with her cigarette thinking about it. "Yeah. Destroying the world. Great. I'm really more interested in the Slayer."  
David looked at Angelus like she was dump. "Um, well, she's **in** the world, so that should work out."  
"Give me tonight. Hmm?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Lay low for a night. I guarantee you by the time you go public she won't be anything resembling a threat."  
"You've really got a yen to hurt this girl, haven't you?"  
"She made me feel like a human being. That's not the kind of thing you just forgive."

In the library, Katy walked by the counter looking through a book. Chesney was lying on top of the counter, also studying a book. Kevin was in his office reading through yet another book. Tina was on her phone with Sian.  
"Ok. No, no, she didn't, but I'm sure she'll...Well, Sian she probably has some plans, and she's trying to protect you. Well, I-I don't know what. I'm not in on the plan. It's her plan. No. Don't even say that! Sophie is not dead!"  
Chesney looked up from his book and towards his friend. "Say 'hi' for me."  
Tina gave a dirty look his way. "Yeah, of course we'll be here. Okay, bye." She hanged up. "Say 'hi' for me?"  
"What's the word?"  
"She's checked every place she can think of. She even beat up Willy the snitch a couple of times. Sophie's vanished."  
Kevin came and stood in the doorway to his office. "But she does do that on occasion, no?"  
"Oh, yeah, but she's extra wigged this time. God, what if something really happened to her?" Tina herself was starting to get worried about Sophie. Kevin broke her out of her thoughts. "Is she going to join us here?"  
"Yeah. She's just stopping at home first."  
Chesney slammed his book shut and jumped off the counter. "Nada." He headed for the stacks with it. He found Katy around the back of the bookshelves.  
"Hey Katy, did you find anything?"  
"This book mentions the Judge, but nothing useful. Big, scary, no weapon forged can stop him, took an army to take him down. Blah, blah, blah."  
"We need some insight, a weak spot."  
"Well, we're not going to find it here."  
Katy puts the book back on the shelve, Chesney came over and puts his book back as well.  
"Sorry I snapped at you before."  
"Well, I'm reeling from that new experience."  
"I was crazed. I wasn't thinking."  
"I know. You were too busy rushing off to die for your beloved Sian. You'd never die for me."  
"No, I might die **from** you. Does that get me any points?"  
"No."  
"Come on, can't we just kiss and make up?"  
"I don't wanna make up." Chesney lowered this head and started to walk anyway. She grabbed his arm and stopped him. "But I'm okay with the other part." They smiled at each other then started kissing. After a few moments Katy giggled. They pulled apart and smiled to each other.

Across town at Sophie's apartment, Sian had just entered the door. She quickly closed it behind her. She walked over to the bed and noticed it had been made. Laid on it was one of Sophie's black shirts. She went over to the bed and reached for the shirt. Behind her Angelus walked over to a statue, she picked up a necklace hanging from it and put it on. Sian turned around and saw her for the first time. She was so happy to see the vampire she fell to notice she was dressed in black leather trousers.  
"Sophie!"  
"Hey!"  
Sian ran over you her, she throw her arms around the vampire and they shared a kiss.  
"Oh, my God! I was so worried, Soph!"  
"I didn't mean to frighten you."  
"Where did you go?"  
"Been around."  
"Ohhh. Oh, my God!" The slayer hugged her lover again. "I was freaking out! You just disappeared."  
"What? I took off." She walked away from Sian and went to the bed for the shirt. Sian was really confused she couldn't understand the vampire's behaviour. "But you didn't say anything. You just left."  
Angelus pulled her shirt on over her well toned body. "Yeah. Like I really wanted to stick around after that."  
"What?"  
"You got a lot to learn about women, kiddo. Although I guess you proved that last night."  
"What are you saying?"  
"Let's not make an issue out of it, okay?" She walked past the slayer and got her coat. "In fact, let's not talk about it at all. It happened." She put her coat on. She was now dressed in black leather trousers, a black shirt and her long black coat. She was also wearing her hair down.  
"I, I don't understand. Was it m-me?" Sian looked down at her feet and meekly asked. "Was I not good?"  
Angelus laughed at her. "You were great. Really. I thought you were a pro." The last part she said snidely.  
"How can you say this to me?"  
"Lighten up. It was a good time. It doesn't mean like we have to make a big deal."  
"It **is** a big deal!" Sian said quietly as it was to her, it was her first time, with anyone.  
"It's what? Bells ringing, fireworks, a dulcet choir of pretty little birdies?" Angelus started laughing again. "Come on, lover. It's not like I've never been there before."  
She reached her hand up to her face but Sian jerked away from it.  
"Don't touch me".  
Angelus shock her fingers at her. "I should've known you wouldn't be able to handle it."  
The vampire started to leave but stopped when the slayer shouted after her. When she turned around the slayer had tears in her eyes.  
"I love you, Sophie."  
The vampire pointed coolly at her. "Love you, too." She turned to leave, half way out the door she shouted back. "I'll call you."  
Sian just stood there, extremely upset and confused, watching her leave.

Back at the school Tina had just come back from nipping home. She was walking down the hall pasting the lounge area. Chesney came out of the bathroom and saw her. He jogged over to join her.  
"Hey Tina."  
"Hey Ches, so any new news about the Judge? Where do we stand?"  
"On a pile of really boring books that say exactly the same thing."  
"Let me guess: 'no weapon forged.'"  
"'It took an army.'"  
"Yeah, where's an army when you need one? What?"  
Chesney looked thoughtfully like some idea has just hit him. "Whoa. Whoa! I... I think I'm having a thought. Yeah, yeah, that's a thought. Now I'm having a plan…"  
Suddenly all the lights went out. The two friends looked around wondering what had happened.  
"Now I'm having a wiggins."  
"What's going on, Ches?"  
"I don't know. Let's get to the library."  
They started to head that way when Angelus appeared behind them.  
"Tina. Chesney."  
"Sophie. Thank God you're okay. Did you see Sian?"  
"Yeah Tina. What's up with the lights?"  
"I don't know. Listen, I think I have an idea."  
"Forget about that now Chesney. I...I got something to show you."  
"Show us?"  
"Yeah. Chesney, go get the others."  
"Okay." He ran off to get the others.  
"And Tina. Come here."  
She slowly started to walk towards the vampire. "What is it, Sophie?"  
"It's amazing."  
Down the hall Chesney suddenly stopped running and turned around. i_Wait, something's not right./i_  
Back at the lounge area Molly appeared in the hall opposite Angelus, she was holding up a cross. "Tina, get away from her."  
Tina stopped moving towards Angelus and looked around at Molly. "What?"  
"Walk to me."  
"What are you talking about? It's Soph..."  
Angelus has sneaked up behind her and grabbed her by the throat. Tina let out a frightened yelp. Chesney came running through the door from the other hall.  
"Don't do that!" He shouted.  
"Oh, I think I do that."  
Tina was scared and confused "Sophie..."  
Molly came closer to them. "She's not Sophie anymore. Are you?"  
"No, Sophie has left the building." The vampire grinned wickedly at them all. "I got a message for Sian."  
"Why don't you give it to me yourself?" Sian had just appeared behind the vampire. Angelus span around with Tina to face her.  
"Well, it's not really the kind of message you tell. It sort of involves finding the bodies of all your friends." She tightened her gripped on Tina even more, who gave out another painfully yelp. Sian moved in closer.  
"This can't be you."  
"Gee lover, we already covered that subject."  
"Sophie, there must be some part of you inside that still remembers who you are."  
"Dream on, schoolgirl."  
Chesney took the cross from Molly and started towards Angelus. The vampire or slayer not noticing him.  
"Your girlfriend is dead slayer. You're all going to join her."  
"Leave Tina alone, and deal with me."  
"But she's so cute…" The vampire pinched Tina's cheek. "And helpless. Really a turn-on." Chesney moved closer, he shoved the cross into Angelus' face from behind. The vampire reeled back and dropped Tina. The wanna be witch yelled out as she fell backwards into Chesney and they collapsed against the wall. Angelus turned to Molly and wards her off with a hand as she starts to back down the hall. When she reached Sian she grabbed her by the shoulder. The slayer inhaled in fright. The vampire leaned in closed and whispered to her.  
"Things are about to get bvery/b interesting." She kisses the slayer then shoved her into the wall. She left through the exit grinning at them all. Chesney and Tina ran towards the slayer. Chesney leant down next to her.  
"Sian, you okay?" The blonde just started at the door her lover just left through. "Sian?"

Later on in the library Kevin was pacing. Chesney was standing while Sian, Tina and Katy sat at the table. Molly leaned against the shelves behind them.  
"And we're absolutely certain that, Sophie has reverted to her former self?"  
"Yeah, uh, we're all certain Kevin. Anyone not feeling certain here?" Chesney asked.  
"Kevin, you wouldn't have believed her. She was so... She came here to kill us." Katy put her hand on Tina's back. Then looked to the watcher.  
"What are we going to do?"  
"I'm leaning towards blind panic myself."  
"Kevin, don't talk like that. The kids."  
"I'm sorry Molly. It's just that things are bad enough with the Judge here. Sophie crossing over to the other side...I...I wasn't prepared for that."

"None of us were."

Tina noticed Sian sitting looking sad. She got up and moved to sit next to her friend.  
"Are you okay Sian?" The slayer just shock her head 'no'.  
"Is there anything I can do?"  
The slayer shock her head again. "I should've known. When I saw her at the apartment, she was different. The things she said..."  
Kevin had been listening into the girl's conversion. "What things?"  
"It's private." Sian looked angrily at Kevin, not believe he had listened in. Molly came forward.  
"But you didn't know she had turned bad?"

Tina looked at the computer teacher. "How did you?"  
"What?"  
"Well, you knew. You told me to get away from her."  
"Well, I saw her face." Molly hopped everyone would buy her answer.  
"If only we knew how it happened." Kevin sighed to himself and sat on the table. Sian felt uncomfortable with her watcher's question.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, something set it off. Some, some, uh, event must have triggered her transformation. Well, if anyone would know, Sian, it…it should be you."  
"I don't."  
"Well, did anything happen last night that, that might..."  
"Kevin, please, I can't." The slayer got up and started running out of the library.  
"Sian, I'm sorry, but we can't afford to... Sian!"  
Tina watched her blonde friend run out the door and turned to the watcher. "Kevin, shut up."  
"Well this is great. There's an unkillable demon in town, Sophie's joined his team, the Slayer is a basket case... I'd say we've hit bottom." Everyone looked at Katy.  
"I have a plan." Chesney piped up.  
"Oh, no, there is a lower place."  
Chesney gave his girlfriend a dirty looked the contented. "I don't know what's up with Sophie, but I think I may have a way to deal with this Judge guy."  
"What do we do?" Tina asked her childhood friend.  
"I'm not sure what we should do about my slayer." Molly put a hand on Kevin's shoulder. "Assuming they don't attack tonight I think we should just let her be."  
"I agree." Tina added.  
"I…I can imagine what she's going through."  
"No, I don't think you can."

In David's warehouse Rosie was holding Miss Edith, her favourite doll. David was sitting on a chair while Angelus stood near a conveyor platform, she was sharing her night.  
"You should've seen her face. It was priceless." She hopped up onto the conveyor platform and sat there. "I'll never forget it."  
"So you didn't kill her then?" David asked from his seat.  
"Of course not."  
"Now, I know you haven't been in the game for a while, mate, but we still do kill people. Sort of our raison d'etre, you know."  
Rosie walked over to them. "You don't want to kill her, do you?" She poked Miss Edith's eyes. "You want to hurt her. Just like you hurt me." She smiled up at Angelus.  
"Nobody knows me like you do, Rosie."

"She'd better not get in our way."  
"Don't worry about it."  
"I do."  
"David, my boy, you **really** don't get it!" She stood up. "Do you? You tried to kill her, but you couldn't. Look at you. You're a wreck! She's stronger than any Slayer you've ever faced. Force won't get it done. You got to work from the inside. To kill this girl... you have to love her."

Sian entered her bedroom and gently closed her door behind her. She sniffed as she unbuttoned her coat. She saw her cross necklace hanging from its hook and took it in her hand. It sparkled in the light. She let go of it, letting it swing. She looked down at the ring on her hand that Sophie gave her for her birthday. She pulled it off of her finger and looked at it, bursting into tears. She went over to her bed and laid on it, clutching the ring, she started crying uncontrollably. She curled up and eventually cried herself to sleep, where she started to dream.

======================= * Dream * =======================

_Sian and Sophie were in bed caressing each other. Sian run her hand down Sophie's back. They both had their rings on. Sophie gently kissed Sian on the neck. The brunette held her Sian with her ringed hand. Sian kissed the vampire's fingers. They moved under the sheets. Sophie kisses the slayer's lips tenderly._

_"I love you Sophie."_

_The slayer opened her eyes and for an instant sees Sophie's eyes where cat like and her fangs were out._

_Suddenly they cut to a funeral in bright daylight. Sophie walks up to the grave. Sian looks over at her. The vampire looked up at her, her face bathed in sunlight._

_"You have to know what to see."_

_Sian looked at Sophie, not really understanding, and looked then back down at the grave. She looked over at the other people attending the funeral and sees Molly lifting the veil from her face._

Sian woke with a start, her eyes wide open. She suddenly realized Molly had something to do with all of this.

The next day at school Sian marched straight into Molly's classroom. There where students sitting at all the computers, but she didn't care. Molly and Kevin saw her come in and smiled at her in greeting.  
"Oh, Sian."  
The slayer went right past her watcher and straight to Molly. She put her hand around the teacher's throat and shoved her back onto the desk.  
"Sian!" Kevin shouted while trying to pull Sian off his girlfriend.  
"What do you know?"  
A student jumped up from his computer. "Should I get the principal?"  
"No, I…I'll deal with this. Y..you're, you're all dismissed!" On Kevin's words the entire class got up and left. Once they were all out Sian left go of Molly and stepped back.  
"Did you do it? Did you change her?"  
"For God's sake, calm down!" Kevin shouted at his slayer. The blonde turned to him.  
"Did you know this was going to happen?"  
"You can't go around accusing everybody..."  
Molly interrupted them. "I didn't know...exactly. I was told...Oh, God. I was sent here to watch you. They told me to keep you and Sophie apart. They never told me what would happen.  
"Molly!" Kevin was surprised and confused with his girlfriend.

"I'm sorry, Kevin. Sophie was supposed to pay for what she did to my people."

"And me? What was I supposed to be paying for?" The slayer asked angrily.

"I didn't know what would happen until after. I swear I would've told you Sian."

"So it was me. I did it."

"I think so. I mean, if you..."

"I don't understand." Kevin stated demanding to know what was going on.

"The curse. If Sophie achieved true happiness, even just a moment of...she would lose her soul."

"W...w. h...h...how do you know you were responsible f…for..."

Sian gave her watcher a look. Everything just hit the him.

"Oh…"

They all looked down.

"If there is anything that..." Kevin began to ask, when the slayer butted in. "Curse her again."

"No, I…I can't. I mean, those magicks are long lost even to my people."

"You did it once. It might not be too late to save her."

"It can't be done. I can't help you".

"You better find a way too." Sian looked fearlessly at Molly.

Angelus came down the metal spiral staircase in David's warehouse. The Judge slowly came over to David who was sitting at the other end of the room.

"I am ready." The big giant spoke whist coming closer.

Rosie who had been sitting on David's lap kissed him and got up skipping over to Angelus. The Judge walked off towards the door.  
"Have fun." David shouted after her.  
Angelus came over, bended down and spoke into he's ear.  
"Too bad you can't come with, huh? I'll be thinking of you."  
Angelus took Rosie's hand and they started out after the Judge.  
"What happens if your girlfriend shows up?"  
"I'm going to give her a kiss." She looked to the Judge. "And don't you look spiffy!"

"Spiffy?"

Rosie giggled to herself. David watched them go, pissed off he was made to stay behind.

In Kevin's office, he helped Chesney lift a long crate onto his desk.  
"Happy Birthday, Sain. I hope you like the colour." Chesney stepped back, the slayer came over and looked down at the box. Kevin positioned a crowbar on the lock.  
"Where on Earth did you get that from?" The slayer asked excited and shocked at the same time. She got over it then got into action. "Kevin, we go to the warehouse first, but they might not be there. They're on the offensive. We need to figure out where they'd go." Kevin nodded his head at the slayer agreeing, he lifted the crowbar and broke the clasp. Sian came over and looked into the box.  
"This is good." She smiled to herself. In the doorway Molly appeared.  
"Do you, uh...Is there something I can do?"  
"Get out." Sian snapped at the teacher.  
"I..I just want to help."  
Kevin looked away. "She just said get out."  
Sian looked up at her watcher, he was looking sadly into the crate. Molly turned around and left, knowing she really wasn't wanted. The room went silent. Chesney stepped over and cleared his throat. "Do you want me to show you how to use it?"  
"Yes, I do."

The gang arrived at David's warehouse. It was deserted.  
"I knew it." The slayer sighed. Kevin looked around.  
"We haven't a bead on where they would go?"  
"I don't know, uh... somewhere crowded, I guess. I mean, the Judge needs bodies, right?"  
"Oh...The Bronze?" Tina chipped in happily.  
"It's closed tonight." Chesney informed his friend. Katy came and stood next to her boyfriend.  
"There's not a lot of choices in Weatherfield. It's not like people are going to line up to get massacred. But if I were going to line up, I know where I'd go."

In Weatherfield shopping centre there was a line of people at the refreshment stand in the middle of the centre. There was a double door at the end of the centre on a landing midway between floors. The area between the shops was crowded with people. Customers were going up and down between the floors. One woman went up one side of the stairs and over to the doors. The doors open, and the Judge, Angelus and Rosie walked in flanked by their troops. They closed the doors behind them. A man was coming up the stairs the Judge reached out with his hand, and an arc of energy emanates came from him to the man. The man freezed, a look surprise on his face, and then he quickly began to combust. He disappears in a puff of flame and smoke.  
"Lock the exits, boys."  
The vampires hurried down the stairs to do Angelus' bidding.  
She turned to the Judge. "It's all yours."  
The Judge smiled.

Across the other side of the shopping centre an elevator door opened and Sian strides out. Kevin and Chesney followed behind her carrying the crate on their shoulders. Tina and Katy followed behind them. Sian was in full slayer mode.  
"Everybody keep back. Damage control only. Take out any lesser vamps if you can. I'll handle the Smurf."

Back over at the other side the Judge took a couple of steps down, A customer squeezed by Angelus and headed down the stairs branching to the left. A young couple came up on the right. The Judge extended his arms, and his energy arcs out to and through them. The Judge's energy arcs through everyone in the refreshment area. They all freeze where they stand. The Judge smiled widely, while Angelus and Rosie enjoyed the show. Rosie started bouncing with glee. "Oh, goody!"  
Suddenly a crossbow bolt hit the Judge in the chest and broke his concentration. The arcs of energy disappeared, and the people were in a dazed. The Judge grabbed at the bolt and pulled it from his chest.  
"Who dares?"  
Angelus and Rosie looked over at the refreshment stand. Standing on top of the stand was Sian holding a crossbow. Below her Chesney was opening the crate.  
"Think I got his attention"  
"You're a fool! No weapon forged can stop me!"  
"That was then." Sian lowered the crossbow down. Chesney handed her the weapon from the box. The slayer raised an anti-tank rocket launcher onto her shoulder. "This is now"  
She powered it on. Angelus and Rosie exchange a look. Sian sets her sight and opened the trigger guard. The rest of the team took cover behind the snack counter. Angelus and Rosie began to run. The slayer took aim. The Judge just looked at her. Angelus and Rosie leaped over the stair railing.  
"What's that do?" The Judge asked.  
Sian pulled the trigger and the rocket flies straight into the Judge's chest as Angelus and Rosie fly over the railing. The Judge disappeared in an explosion of flame and smoke. The people in the centre screamed and started to panic and run. Angelus and Rosie hit the floor below. Bits of charred Judge fall all around them. Sian looked up from the rocket launcher's sights and looks over at them in satisfaction. Angelus gets up and runs off. Rosie freaked out and ran the other way. The team looked over the counter at what's left of the Judge. The smoke cloud from the explosion billows its way up to the ceiling.  
"Best present ever." Sian handed the weapon down to Chesney.  
"Knew you'd like it."  
"Do you think he's dead?"  
"We can't be sure Tina. Pick up the pieces and keep them separate."  
They all got up and started over to collect what's left of the Judge.  
"Pieces? We get the pieces. Our job sucks!" Katy moaned.

In the side area of the mall Angelus came in and looked up at Sian. Frightened customers are running every which way. Sian saw the vampire, she jumped down from the refreshment stand and starts to give chase. Angelus struggled past some people and ran.

In the area below the explosion parts of the Judge lie everywhere and they were still burning. The smoke reached the sprinklers and they turned on everywhere.

Back in the side hall, where Sian last saw Angelus, the sprinklers rain down on her and she was getting soaked. She couldn't see Angelus anywhere. Suddenly the vampire came at her and hit her from behind. The slayer fell over backward.  
"You know what the worst part was, huh? Pretending that I loved you. If I'd known how easily you'd give it up, I wouldn't have even bothered."  
Sian got up from the floor. "That doesn't work anymore. You're not Sophie."  
"You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? It doesn't matter. The important thing is you made me the woman I am today!" The vampire smiled evilly at the slayer. Sian kicked her in the face. Angelus blocked her next swing and punched the slayer in the face and in the gut. She grabbed Sian and swinged her around to throw her, but Sian has good footing and regained her balance. Angelus kicked her in the face and this time she fell to the floor.

Over at the other side of the centre Tina bended down to pick up a piece of the Judge's armor. She had been soaked to the skin by the sprinklers.  
"Uh...Arm."

Back over at the side area Angelus grabbed Sian as she tried to get up and heaves her over onto her back again. The slayer rolled around to her feet and came at Angelus. She swings, but the vampire blocked and hit her instead. She followed up with a backhand punch and Sian fell to the floor again.  
"Not quitting on me already, are ya? Come on, lover. You know you want it, huh?  
The slayer leapt up and kicked her in the face. The vampire arched backwards, then snapped forward. Sian kneed her in the chin and then delivers a series of punches to her gut. She ends with a punch to the vampire's face but it didn't faze her, and she lunged at the slayer. Sian grabbed the vampire's arm and diverts her into a display case. Angelus crashed through the glass, but immediately straightens back up, breaking the top pane and the frame of the case as well. The slayer kicked her in the face and again in the chest, and Angelus staggered backward into a potted tree. Sian pulled out a stake and stood ready to finish the job. Angelus straightened up and faced her. Sian couldn't move, but instead lowered the stake and just stared at her once lover.  
"You can't do it. You can't kill me."  
Sian anger took over and she kicked Angelus extremely hard between the legs. The vampire grabbed between her legs and moaned in extreme pain then collapsed to her knees, even for a woman it hurts to be kicked hard there. Sian turned her back on the vampire and walked away.  
"Give me time."  
Angelus was on all fours now and couldn't move to follow her.

Hours later Sian was sitting on the sofa in her watcher's house. Kevin came in from the kitchen and sat down next to her. The only noise that could be heard was the passing of cars. Minutes later Kevin broke the silence.  
"It's not over. I suppose you know that. She'll come after you, particularly. Her profile, uh, well, she...she's likely to strike out at the things that made her the most human."  
"You must be so disappointed in me."  
"No…no, I'm not."  
"But this is all my fault".  
Kevin put his arm around her.  
"No. I don't believe it is. Do you want me to wag my finger at you and tell you that you acted rashly? You did. A…and I can. I know that you loved her. And she has proven more than once that she loved you. You couldn't have known what would happen. The coming months a…are going to, are going to be hard... I suspect on all of us, but... if it's guilt you're looking for, Sian, I'm…I'm not your man. All you will get from me is, is my support. And my respect."  
Sian smiled at him through her tears, then leaned against his chest.


	8. Chapter 8

** A/N: **The passion speech is spoken by Spohie.

**Part 8 **

It was a busy night in the Bronze. Sophie and Chesney were dancing together, but not close. They exchange a few words as they moved around. Behind them Katy and Tina were sitting at a table and chatting.  
Angelus was standing beyond the table near the base of the stairs. She watched the slayer and her friend dance.

'_Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping...waiting...And though unwanted...unbidden... it will stir..._

She began to move around the room, all the while keeping her stare on Sian.

_...open its jaws, and howl._

The Bronze was now closing and the gang made there way out. Sian had her arm hooked into Tina's. Katy and Chesney were behind them with their arms around each other. They walked past a couple, engaged in a kiss. A girl lifts her head from the other woman, it was Angelus. She had just finished a feed, she let the woman's dead body fall to the pavement. She stepped out into the alley, leaving the woman's body lying there and watched the gang as they walk away. They were completely unaware of her presence and her deed. She morphed back into her human face and began to follow them.

Sian was now in her bedroom, she walked around her bed past the window. On her way back she paused by the window and looked out. She lifted the blinds a little and scanned around. Satisfied that no one was there she walked back over to her closet, unzipped the back of her dress along the way.  
Sian was now her in pajamas. She set her alarm then got into her bed. She reached over and turned off her light. She then settled in to sleep. Outside the window Angelus was looking in.  
Later that night while Sian was sleeping a shadow came across her bed, a hand reached over to stroke her hair with its fingers. Angelus was sitting on the edge of her bed, looking down at her, watching her sleep.

'_It speaks to us... guides us... Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have?_

In the morning Sian stirred and woke up. She opened her eyes and looked over at her clock but her eyes fix on an envelope left next to her on her pillow. She pushed her hair back moaning inquiry. She picked up the envelope as she sat up. The envelope was blank, she opened it and took out the paper from inside. She started in disbelief after unfolding it. On the paper was a pencil sketch of her sleeping.

"She was in my room."

The slayer had just entered the library. Kevin was standing behind the counter checking in various books. Sian walked past him towards the table as he looked up  
"Who?"  
"Angeles. She was in my room last night."  
Kevin came out from behind the counter and followed her over to the table, where Chesney and Katy where sitting.  
"Are you sure?"  
"Positive. When I woke up, I found a picture she'd left me on my pillow."  
"A visit from the pointed-tooth fairy." Chesney laughed to himself till Katy hits him on the arm and turn to the watcher.  
"Wait, I thought vampires couldn't come in unless you invited them in."  
"Yes, but, uh, once you've invited them in, there after they're, they're always welcome."  
Sain looked down, then over at Chesney as he spoke.  
"You know, I think there may be a valuable lesson for you gals here about inviting strange people into your bedrooms."

"Oh, God!" Katy looked to Chesney realizing something. "I invited her in my car once." She looked over to Kevin. "That means she can come into my car whenever she wants."  
Chesney patted her on the shoulder. "Yep, you're doomed to having to give her and her vamp pals a lift whenever they feel like it. And those guys never chip in for petrol." Katy looked away disgusted. Sian rolled her eyes at Katy and turned to her watcher.  
"Kevin, there has to be some sort of spell to reverse the invitation, right? Like a barrier, a no shoes, no pulse, no service kind of thing?"  
"Yeah, that works for a car, too?" Katy chipped in from the table.  
"Yes, well, I…I could check on my..."  
Chesney suddenly jumped up from his chair. "Hello!"  
Everyone looked behind them and saw a boy and a girl come into the library.  
"Excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?" Chesney asked.  
The boy gestured to the library before him. "We're supposed to get some books. On Stalin."  
Chesney pointed at the boy "Does this look like Waterstones?"  
"This is a school library, Chesney."  
"Since when?"  
Kevin ignored Chesney and spoke to the boy. "Uh, y…yes, yes, uh, third row. Historical biographies." He gestured towards the stacks.  
"Thanks." The boy and girl walked past them, up the stairs and into the stacks. The others watch them go until they disappear. Chesney and Katy picked up their things and started to leave. Kevin looked at Sian, confused, but follows.  
""What…" Sian gave him a look. "Oh!"  
The boy came back out of the stacks.  
"Hey, did you say that was the..." He noticed everyone has gone. "Hello?"

In the hall Chesney and Katy walked ahead while Kevin and Sian followed behind.  
"So Angelus has decided to step up her harassment of you?" The watcher asked the blonde.

"By sneaking in her room and leaving stuff at night? Why doesn't she just slit her throat or strangle her while she's sleeping or cut her heart out?" Everyone looked at Katy. "What? I'm trying to help."  
Kevin gave Katy a funny look then carried on talking to Sian. "Uh look, it's classic battle strategy to throw one's opponent off his game. She's just trying to provoke you. Uh, to taunt you, to goad you into some mishap of some sort."  
Chesney looked back at the Watcher. "The nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah approach to battle?"  
"Yes, Chesney, once more you've managed to boil a complex thought down to its simplest possible form."  
Sian looked sadly at the floor watching her feet as she walked. She looked up at her uncle. "Kevin, Sophie once told me that when she was obsessed with Rosie, the first thing she did was to kill her family. Angelus has an all-access pass to mine and your house."  
"I told you I will find a…a spell."  
"What about **until** you find a spell?"  
Katy spoke over her shoulder to the slayer. "Until then, you are welcome to ride around with me in my car." Everyone chose to ignore her and carried on.  
"Sian, I…I understand your concern, but it's imperative that you keep a level head through all this."  
"That's easy for you to say, Kevin. You don't have Angelus lurking in your bedroom at night."  
"I know how hard this is for you." He got a look from Sian. "All right, I don't. But as the Slayer, you don't have the luxury of being a slave to your…your passions. You mustn't let Angelus get to you. No matter how provocative her behaviour may become."  
"So what you're basically saying is, 'just ignore her, and maybe she'll go away'?"  
"Yes. Precisely."  
Chesney stopped in front of them and turn around to face them. "Hey, how come Sian doesn't get a snotty 'once again you boil it down to the simplest form' thing?"  
Kevin and Sian both looked at him. He looked the slayer up and down. "Watcher's pet."

Later on in Molly's computer science class she was teaching a class.  
"Don't forget, I need your sample spreadsheets by the end of the week."  
The bell rang to signal the end of the class, she walked around behind her desk.  
"Oh, and I want both a paper printout and a copy on disk. Thank you."  
She looked down at her desk for a second, then back up and reaches her arm out to get Tina's attention before she left the classroom.  
"Tina."  
The wanna be witch approached the desk. "Yes?"  
"Um, I might be a little late tomorrow. Do you think you could cover my class till I show?  
Tina broke out into a huge bright smile "Really? Me? Teach the class? Sure!"  
"Cool."  
But then something suddenly hit Tina. "Oh, wait. W…what if they don't recognize my authority? What if they try to convince me that you always let them leave class early? What if there's a fire drill? What if there's a fire?"  
"Tina, you're going to be fine. And I'll try not to be too late, okay?" The teacher reassured her. She young girl took a deep breather.  
"Okay. Good. Earlier is good. Will I have the power to assign detention? Or make them run laps?"  
Just then Kevin and Sian appeared at the door.  
"Hey, Tina." The slayer greeted her friend.  
Both Kevin and Tina looked over, the teacher spoke first. "Hi, Sian, Kevin."  
Kevin looked down and the slayer chose to ignore her.  
"Tina, I thought I might take in a class. Figured I could use someone who knows where they are."  
Tina glanced over at Molly with her eyes, then started to leave the classroom. She spoke to the slayer once she was close to her.  
"Sorry. I have to talk to her. She's a teacher, and teachers are to be respected, even if they're only filling in until the real teacher shows up, because otherwise chaos could ensue..." The rest of her rant couldn't be heard as they had left the room. Kevin stepped into the room once the girls had past. His hands were tucked deep in his pockets.  
"How have you been?" The teacher asked her once lover.  
"Uh, not so good, actually. Uh, since Sophie lost her soul, she's regained her sense of whimsy."  
"Well, that sounds bad."  
"She's been in Sian's bedroom. I…I…I need to drum up a spell to, uh, keep her out of the house."  
Molly reached down to her desk and picked up an old book.  
"This might help." She handed it to the watcher. "I've been doing a little reading since Sophie changed. I don't think you have that one."  
"Thank you." He starts to flick through it.  
"So, how's Sian doing?"  
He closed the book and lowered it to his side. "How do you think?"  
She faced away from him. "I know you feel betrayed."  
"Yes. Well, that's one of the unpleasant side effects of betrayal."  
She looked down at her desk. "Kevin...I was raised by the people that Sophie hurt the most." She looked back up at him. "My duty to them was the first thing I was ever taught. I didn't come here to hurt anyone," Again she looked away. "A...and I lied to you because I thought it was the right thing to do. I... I didn't know what would happen. I didn't know I was going to fall in love with you." She paused for a moment before looking back up at Kevin. They exchange a meaningful look, but then she looked away again. "Oh, God. Is it too late to take that back?"  
"Do you want to?"  
She looked back at him. "I just want to be right with you. I don't expect more. I just want so badly to make all this up to you."  
"I understand. But I'm not the one you need to make it up to."  
She looked at him, understanding. He gave her a little smile and raises the book.  
"Thank you for the book." Then he turned and left the room. Molly just watched him go.

That night Sian was sitting on her bed talking into her phone.  
"I know I'll sleep easier when I can... sleep easier."  
In her room Tina was on the other end of the phone sprinkling fish food into her tank.  
"I'm sure he will. He's like book-man." She put the food down on the counter. "Until then, try and keep happy thoughts and..." She noticed something on her bed.  
"And what?" The slayer asked, she got no answer. "Tina?"  
Tina held the phone between her cheek and shoulder and reached down for the blank envelope on her bed. "Tina?"  
Tina turned back towards her aquarium. She then noticed there was no fish in there. She opened the envelope and found a string. She pulled on it, out came her fish, strung together one after the other. She lost her grip on her phone and it fell to the floor.

Half an hour later, Tina was now also sitting on Sian bed. Behind then was a string of garlic cloves hanging on the wall. Tina had a stake in her hand that she's fidgeted with nervously while she looks around.  
"Thanks for having me over, Sian. Especially on a school night and all."  
"No problem. Hey, sorry about your fish."  
"Oh, it's okay. We hadn't really had time to bond yet. Although for the first time I'm glad my parents didn't let me have a puppy."  
Sian sat next to her staring into space. "It's so weird...Every time something like this happens, my first instinct is still to run to Sophie. I can't believe it's the same person. She's completely different from the girl that I knew." She looked over to her best friend.  
"Well, sort of, except..."  
"Except what?"  
She looked over to the slayer. "You're still the only thing she thinks about." Sian looked down at her hands.

Over in David's warehouse, he was sitting at the head of the table. Rosie came in behind him, holding a puppy behind her back.  
"I brought something for you." She brought out the whining puppy. "Poor thing. She's an orphan. Her owner died..." She smiled wickedly at him. "…without a fight. Do you like her? Hmm?" She reached her hand into his jacket and rubbed his chest. "I brought her especially for you..." She pulled at his jacket. "To cheer you up. And I've named her...Sunshine!" She offered the puppy to David. "Open wide." However David just looks away. "Come on, love. You need to eat something to keep your strength up. Now…" She waved the puppy around. "Grrrrr, open up for mummy."  
David moved away "I won't have you feeding me like a child, Rosie."  
Just then Angelus came in. "Why not? She already bathes you, carries you around and changes you like a child."  
"Why, mummy Angelus. Where have you been? The sun is almost up, and it can be so hurtful. We were worried."  
"No, we weren't."  
"You must forgive David. He's just a bit testy tonight. Doesn't get out much anymore."  
"Well, maybe next time I'll bring you with me, David".  
"Have you forgotten that you're a bloody guest in my bloody home?"  
Angelus stepped closer to him. "And as a guest," She leaned into them. "If there's anything I can do for you...Any... responsibility I can assume...anything I'm not already doing, that is." She looked over to Rosie. david shoved her away angrily. "That's enough!" Angelus smiled widely and giggled.  
Rosie moved closer to them. "Aww..." She leaned into Daivd and gave him a peck on the cheek and gave him the puppy. He held the puppy as she stepped away and moved around the table and stood between two chairs. "You two...fighting over me and all. Makes a girl feel..."  
Suddenly she looked up and moaned loudly in apparent pain. Angelus stepped over opposite her across the table, looking concerned.  
"Rosie, what is it, pet?"  
She bent over in pain and was breathing hard. "The air. It worries. Someone...an old enemy is seeking help..." Angelus threw David a look. "…help to destroy our happy home." She leaned against a chair. "Ohhhh..."

Across town there was a tarot shop with a display table with a skull in a covered glass bowl, a small gong hung between two horns, a pig fetus in formaldehyde, what looked like a large crab also in formaldehyde and another jar. The shopkeeper was pricing up two more jars.  
Outside Molly walked around the railing in front of the shop and took the steps down to the entrance. She came into the shop and looked around. The shopkeeper looks up from his work. He spoke to her with a Rumanian accent. "Welcome. How may I serve you today?"  
Molly faced him. "Uh..."  
"Love potion? Perhaps a voodoo doll for that unfaithful..."  
"I need an Orb of Thesulah."  
The shopkeeper dropped the accent. "Oh, you're in the trade. Sorry about the spiel, but around Valentine's Day, I get a lot of tourists shopping for love potions and mystical revenge of past lovers." He moved behind the sales counter. "Sad fact is, Ouija boards and rabbits' feet, that's what pay the rent around here." He went through into the back containing to talk to her. "So how did you hear about us?"  
"My Uncle told me about you." She picked things up and looked at them.  
The shopkeeper looked out at her. "So you're Molly, then." She looked up at him. "Sorry to hear about your uncle."  
"Thank you."  
The shopkeeper came back through with a round wooden box. "He was a good customer. Well, no, there you go." He set it down and opened it. "One Thesulan Orb. Spirit vault for the rituals of the undead." She reached into her purse. "I don't get many calls for those lately." She pulled out her wallet. "Sold a couple as new age paperweights last year." She hands him a credit card. "Yeah, I just love those new-agers, boy. They helped to send my youngest to college." He imprinted the card fills in the form. "By the way, you do know that the transliteration annals for the ritual of the undead were lost." He handed her the form and a pen. "Without the annals, the surviving text is gibberish".  
"And without a translated text, the Orbs of Thesulah are pretty much useless. Yeah, I know." She said handing him his copy.  
"Well, I only mention it because I have a strict policy of no refunds." He placed the lid the box.  
"It's okay. I'm working on a computer program to translate the Rumanian liturgy to English based on a random sampling of the text."  
"Yecchh. I don't like computers. They give me the willies."  
"Well, thank you." She takes the box.  
"You're welcome."  
She took the lid off of the box as she slowly walked toward the door.  
"By the way..." She looked back at him. "Not that it's any of my business, really, but, uh, what are you planning on conjuring up? If you can decipher the text?"  
"A present for a friend of mine." She lifted the Orb.  
"Really? What are you going to give her?"  
She looked into the Orb and it began to glow. "Her soul."

At Weatherfield High School, Tina and Sian were chatting as they walk along the sidewalk and up the steps. Chesney jumped up behind them. "Well, good morning, ladies. And what did you two do last night?"  
"We had kind of a 'pajama party sleepover with weapons' thing." Tina told her childhood friend.  
"Oh. And I don't suppose either of you had the presence of mind to locate a camera to capture the moment."  
"I have to go. I have a class to teach in about five minutes, and I have to arrive early to glare disapprovingly at the stragglers." She noticed Molly arriving. "Oh, darn. She's here." She starts to walk off. "Five hours of lesson planning yesterday down the drain..."  
"You know what? I'll see you in class." The slayer leaves Chesney, and jogged up to the teacher and stepped in her way.  
"Hey."  
"Hi."  
Sian looked at Molly for a moment, then averts her eyes. "Uh, is there something that... Did you want something?" She asked the slayer.  
"Look...I know you feel badly about what happened, and I just wanted to say..." Molly looked at her expectantly. "Good. Keep it up."  
Molly rolled her eyes not surprised at all by Sian comment. "Don't worry, I will."  
Sian held up her hands. "Oh, wait. Um...He misses you. He doesn't say anything, I mean, but I know he does. And I don't want him to be lonely. I don't want anyone to."  
"Sian, you know that if I have a chance to make this up..."  
The slayer interrupted her. "We're...good here. Let's just leave it." She walked away leaving the teacher in her thoughts.

Kevin was in lounge talking with a couple of students while searching through his briefcase for some flyers. "I put it here somewhere." He found the flyer. "Oh, yes, yes. That's it." He handed the flyers over to the students. "Could you, um, hang those up?" The students nodded. "Thank you." He closed his briefcase and noticed his slayer arriving. "Sian. So, uh, so how was your night?"  
"Sleepless, but no human fatalities."  
"I…I found a ritual to revoke the invitation to vampires."  
Nether noticed Katy coming up behind them. "Oh, thank goodness. I actually had to talk my grandmother into switching cars with me last night."  
"Um, the…the…the, uh, the ritual's fairly basic, actually. It's just the recitation of a few rhyming couplets, burning of, uh, moss herbs, sprinkling of holy water..." He turned and started walking down the hall.  
Sian started to follow him. "All stuff we have in our house."  
"Hanging of crosses..."

Later in Tina's room she was nailing a cross next to her French doors and pulled the curtain over to hide it.  
"I'm going to have a hard time explaining this to my dad."  
"You really think it'll bother him?"  
"His Jewish daughter nailing a crucifixes to her bedroom wall? I have to go over to Chesney' house just to watch 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' every year."  
"I see your point."  
They both head over to the bed and sat down. Katy was already sitting down looking at Tina's aquarium.  
"Although it is worthwhile to see him do the Snoopy Dance." Tina spook while putting down the hammer.  
"Tina?"Katy turned to face them, her arms crossed. "Are you aware that there are no fish in your aquarium?"  
Tina frowned and whined. Sian placed a hand on her friends back then looked to Katy. "You know, Katy, we've already done your car. Call it a night if you want."  
"Right. Thanks. And you know I'd do the same for you if you had a social life."  
Both girls rolled there eyes. Once she had left Sian turned to her friend. "Is it ok if I stay here tonight?"  
"Of course but don't you want to magically change the locks on your house?"  
"I'll do it tomorrow."

In Molly's classroom she was sitting at her desk working on the translation program. She was too busy staring at the screen that she didn't notice Kevin appearing in the doorway.  
"Hello."  
She looked over at him startled then quickly typed a few keystrokes and the screen changed.  
"Oh! Hi."  
Kevin made his way into the room. "You're working late."  
"Special project."  
"Oh."  
"I spoke to Sian today."  
"Oh! Yes?" The watcher sat on her desk. The teacher looked away.  
"Mmm. She said you missed me." She started playing with a pencil that was next to her.  
"Well, uh, she's... a meddlesome girl."  
She looked back at the man she hopped to be her lover again. "Kevin...Okay, I don't wanna say anything if I'm wrong, but I may have some news. Now, I need to finish up here. Could I see you later?"  
"Y…yes, yes. You could stop by the house."  
She broke out into a smile. "Okay."  
"Good." The watcher smiled back at her, he got up from the table and began to leave. Once he was gone Molly turned attention back to her computer.

Back across town in the tarot shop, the shopkeeper was turning off the light by the front entrance. Once they were all done he made his way towards the back. Just then a woman holding a puppy opened the door and stepped in.  
"Sorry, honey. We're closed." The shopkeeper explained while blowing out some candles. He looked up and saw Rosie standing there, he became very nervous and started fearing for his life.  
"W... What do you want?"  
Rosie looked at the puppy. "Miss Sunshine here tells me you had a visit today." She looked back up to him. "But she worries. She wants to know what you and the mean teacher talked about."

Later in her classroom Molly was still working on her computer. She tapped a few keys, then looked up at the screen. A percent complete window appeared over the Rumanian text, then a bar zips across it.  
"Come on, come on..."  
The bar disappeared and a translation scrolled up next to the original text.  
"That's it!" She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and smiled. "It's got to work! This... will work." She though it would be best to save the result, she saved it onto the computer itself and on a pen drive. She popped the pen drive from the computer and set it aside by some books near the edge of her desk. In the mean time a hardcopy has started to print out. She wheeled her chair over to the printer, once finished she looked it over. She looked up from the paper and saw Angelus sitting in a desk at the back of the class. She gasped and jumped out of her seat.  
"Angelus..." She slowly moved towards the door. "How did you get in here?"  
"I was invited. The sign in front of the school... 'Formatia trans sicere educatorum.'  
"'Enter all ye who seek knowledge.'"  
Angelus giggled to herself then got up from the seat. "What can I say? I'm a knowledge seeker." She came towards the teacher.  
"Sophie, I…I…I've got good news." She was now starting to get frightened of the vampire.  
"I heard. You went shopping at the local boogedy-boogedy store." The vampire noticed the Orb on her desk and picked it up. "The Orb of Thesulah. If memory serves, this is supposed to summon a person's soul...from the ether...store it until it can be transferred."  
The Orb begins to glow as she looked into it. She glances up at Molly for an instant. Molly started to edge away from her.  
"You know what I hate most about these things?" Molly screamed as Angelus heaved it into the chalkboard behind her. It shattered into hundreds of pieces and a lot of dust.  
Angelus smiled at the teacher. "They're so damn fragile." She dropped the smiled. "Must be that shoddy gypsy craftsmanship, huh?"  
Molly had backed into the wall and trembled with fear. She started to inch her way toward the door. Angelus reached over to the PC, she turned the monitor so she can see it.  
"I never cease to be amazed how much the world has changed in just two and a half centuries."  
Molly had now reached the door and tried to open it. Sadly for her it was locked. Angelus turned the monitor back around.  
"It's a miracle to me. You, you put the secrets to restoring my soul in here..."  
She shoved the computer off the desk and onto the floor. It broke and the monitor shattered, it sparked then started to burn. Angelus ripped the printout from the printer.  
"…And it comes out here." She looked at the paper. "'The Ritual of Restoration.' Wow. This, this brings back memories". She started to rip up the printout in half.  
"Wait. That's your..."  
"Oh, my cure?" The vampire finished tearing the printout in half. "No, thanks. Been there, done that, and deja vu just isn't what it used to be." She looks to the fire of the computer. "My...isn't this my lucky day. The computer..." She held the paper over the flames. "…and the pages." She started to warm her hands. "Looks like I get to kill two birds with one stone."  
She crouched over the fire to warm herself more. Molly started toward the back door. Angelus looked back up at her now sporting her vampire face.  
"And teacher makes three."  
Molly started to run for it, but Angelus roared, quickly jumped up and grabbed hold of her.  
"No!" She screamed at the vampire. Angelus threw her back into the locked door, and it broke open under the weight. The teacher looked back at the vampire, she scrambled to her feet and began to run.  
"Oh, good. I need to work up an appetite first." Angelus grinned to herself and took off after Molly.  
In the hall Molly came running past the corner, she opened the door to the lounge area and ran to another set of door to the outside, but they were locked. She ran back into the lounge, she saw Angelus coming and runs further down the hall. Angelus pulled open the doors and followed her at a fast walk.

At another hall exit Molly busted through the door and ran along the colonnade. Angelus wasn't far behind, and continued after her at a quick pace. Soon Angelus started to run as well. Molly kept running, checking behind her every so often. She reached the next building and struggled with the door. She looked back and saw Angelus running toward her with an evil grin on her face. The teacher yanked hard at the door several more times before it opened, then ran in. She pulled the door closed behind her and Angelus slammed into it. Molly started to run down the hall. Angelus had to yank at the door a couple of times before it opened for her too. Once opened she ran after the teacher. A cleaning cart was left in the hall by the stairs, Molly grabbed it and pushed it into Angelus. The vampire slammed into it and went flying over it and onto the floor while the teacher rushed up the steps.  
She got to the top of the stairs and out of view but back on the floor Angelus was no longer there, she was nowhere to be seen.

On the landing by a large arched window Molly ran up onto it and right into a waiting Angelus. She screamed when the vampire grabbed a hold of her. Angelus chuckled and looked into Molly's face. She placed one hand around behind the teacher's head and touched her lips with the fingers of her other hand.  
"Sorry, Molly, this is where you get off."  
Angelus took her fingers from Molly's lips and put her hand under the teacher's chin. In one swift movement she twisted the teacher's head and snapped her neck. Her body collapsed onto the floor. The vampire looked up and around looking pleased with herself. "Ah...I never get tired of doing that."

Kevin had arrived home, he wasn't look where he was going as he was searching for his keys. Once he reached the door he looked up and saw a red rose on the door. Music from the Opera "La Boheme" could be heard from inside. He took the rose off the door, he inhaled its aroma and smiled to himself. He unlocked the door and poked his head inside.  
"Hello?"  
He noticed there was no one in sight so he stepped indoors closing the door behind him.  
"Molly?"  
He placed his briefcase aside and stopped over to his coat rack.  
"It's me!"  
He took off his coat and hanged it up. He looked around again and noticed a chilled bottle of champagne and two long-stemmed glasses on the table. On top of the crystal ice bucket was a folded piece of paper leaning against the bottle. He sets down his keys and the rose. He picked the note and unfolded it. Written on it is one word: **Upstairs**. He smiled and looked up toward the stairs. He placed the note down and picked up the bottle and glasses. He headed towards the stairs. On each step there was a rose, they counted along the hall towards his room. The opera music got louder the closer he got to his room. He smiled to himself as he came to the open door of his room. He's smile quickly faded as he show Molly lying on the bed not moving. The opera reached a crescendo as he dropped the bottle and glasses, they shatter on the floor. He continued to look at Molly's body. Her dead eyes stared back at him.

Half an hour later Kevin was leaning on the wall by the front door starting blankly into space. There were police cars in the street and the door was open. The coroners took Molly's body away in a black bag. A police officer approached the broken watcher.  
"Mr. Webster, I need to ask you to come with us. Just to answer a few questions."  
Kevin contained to stare blankly. "Of course. Yes. Procedure." He finally looked up at the officer. "I need to make a phone call...if that's all right."  
The officer looked over at the phone then back at Kevin, giving him tacit permission. The watcher got up muttering a yes to the officer, then heading to the phone.

At Sian's Angelus was looking into the dining room through the window from the porch. Sian and Tina walked through it on there way into the living room.

_Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love...clarity of hatred...and the ecstasy of grief._

The telephone rang in the dining room. Sian ran back into the room to get it. She picked it up from the phone stand then turned around facing the window. Angelus could now see her face.  
"Hello. Kevin, hey! What wrong? Did I leave the door open ag…What?"  
As she listened to Kevin talk her expression became increasingly blank. She lowered the phone from her ear. Tina, who had came into the room, saw her friend and took the phone from her.  
"Kevin?"  
Sian leant against the wall and slide down against it until she was crouching.  
"What? No!" Tina dropped the phone. "No!" The witch began to cry uncontrollably. "Noooo!"  
Angelus gloated as she looked into the window. Sian's dad came running into the dining room when he heard the crying, Tina Hugged him crying. The slayer looked off into space, then finally lowered her head onto her knees. Angelus smiled to herself then left.

Later on Katy and Chesney drove up to Sian and Tina, who were waiting outside for them. Chesney opened the passenger door for them to get in.  
"Where's Kevin?" The slayer asked when she got into Katy's car.  
"No luck. By the time we got to the station, the cops said he'd already left. I guess they just wanted to ask him some questions." Chesney informed the slayer.  
"Katy, will you drive us over to Kevin's?"  
"Of course."  
"But don't you think he wants to be left alone?" Tina asked from her sit at the back.  
"I'm not worrying about what he wants. I'm worried about what he's gonna do."  
Katy started the car back up and they headed over to the watchers house.

Back at the watchers house everything was still. All the roses had been trampled on and broken. The weapons chest in the living was open and almost empty. Kevin walked across the room drawing a sword. Over at the old Victrola the opera record had played out but was still spinning. On the desk Kevin had a large bag sitting open with various weapons stashed inside. He added a small can of gasoline, grabbed the bag and headed out of the back door. Back on the desk where the bag had just been was a pencil sketch of Molly lying dead on his bed.

10 minutes later Chesney pushed the door open, there was still a piece of yellow crime scene tape stretched across the doorway.  
"Hello? Kevin?"  
He ducked under the tape and headed inside. The other followed after him. He went over to the desk then looked around.  
"I guess Kevin had a big night planned tonight."  
Sian came over and picked up the sketch of Molly. "Kevin didn't set this up. Angelus  
did." She handed the ginger boy the sketch, cursing herself for not getting the spell sooner. "This is the wrapping for the gift." She made her way up the stairs.  
"Oh, man." Chesney let out a breath. "Poor Kevin."  
Tina found the nearly empty weapons chest. "Look, all his weapons are gone."  
"But I thought he kept his weapons at the library?" Katy asked.  
"No, those are his, uh, everyday weapons. These were his good weapons. The ones he, uh, breaks out when company comes to visit." Chesney explained to his girlfriend.  
Sian came back the downstairs and stopped on the last step.  
"So he's not here." The wanna be witch stated.  
"Well, then where is he?" Katy asked.  
"He'll go to wherever Angelus is." Sian said with a sick feeling in her stomach.  
"That means the factory, right?" Tina asked coming closer to her best friend.  
"So Kevin is gonna try to kill Angelus then?" Katy asked.  
"Well, it's about time somebody did."  
"Chesney!" Tina screamed at her childhood friend.  
"I'm sorry, but let's not forget I disliked Sophie long before you guys jumped on the bandwagon. So I think I deserve a little something for not saying 'I told you so' long before now. And if Kevin wants to go after the, uh…" He looked at Sian. "…friend that murdered his girlfriend, I say, 'Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!'" He looked back at his girlfriend and childhood friend.  
"You're right." The other two girls looked up at Sian in shock.  
"Thank you." Chesney said with a smug grin. The slayer took the last step down and stood next to the boy.  
"But there's only one thing wrong with Kevin's little revenge scenario."  
"And what's that?" The ginger boy asked confused.  
"It's going to get him killed."

Over at David's warehouse he was in the middle of lecturing Angelus.  
"Are you insane? We're supposed to kill the bitch, not leave gag gifts in the friends' beds."  
"But, David, the bad teacher was going to restore Angelus' soul." Rosie said while cuddling her puppy.  
"What if she did? If you ask me, I find myself preferring the old Sian-whipped Angelus. This new, improved one is not playing with a full sack. I love a good slaughter as much as the next bloke, but her little pranks will only leave us with one incredibly brassed-off Slayer!"  
"Don't worry, David. I've got everything under control."  
Just then a Molotov cocktail swooshed in and busted on the table, setting it ablaze. Rosie ran away with David right behind her. They stood out of the way of the flames. Angelus ran across to the end of the table but got hit in the shoulder with a crossbow bolt. She grabbed it to pull it out whist looking to see who her attacker was. Kevin walked towards her with a baseball bat. Angelus pulled the bolt out and throws it aside. Kevin placed the end of the bat into the flames, till it caught on fire. He swung it and smacked Angelus in the face, then again on the return swing. Angelus staggered and bent down.  
"Jeez, whatever happened to wooden stakes?"  
Kevin whaled on Angelus' back several times. Rosie wanted to make a move to intervene, but David stopped her. "Uh-uh. No fair going into the ring unless she tags you first." Just then a large heavy bar fell down landing on David's legs.  
Angelus stood back up, but Kevin swung the bat into her face twice again, making her fall once more. He continued beating on her, making Angelus collapse all the way to the floor. She tried to get up, but he swung into her jaw from underneath. He wielded the still burning bat over her head, but as he brought it down Angelus caught it. They began to struggle. Angelus quickly gained the upper hand, and took Kevin by the throat, lifting him off of his feet. The watcher dropped the bat.  
"All right. You've had your fun. But you know what it's time for now?"  
Just then she got kicked in the back and let Kevin fall to the floor. Her attack was the slayer, she picked her former lover up and slammed her into the spiral staircase.  
"My fun." Sian said before kicking the vampire in the face and shoving her onto the floor. She kicked Angelus in the face again as the vampire tried to get up, then lunged for her. The vampire grabbed her, flipped her over trying to get a chance to get away up the stairs. Sian got back to her feet fast with Kevin's dropped baseball bat in hand and pushed it between the stair railings to trip Angelus up. Angelus fell, so Sian grabbed onto one of her legs. The vampire kicked out at her with it and knocks her off onto the floor then scrambles up the stairs. Sian quickly got up, seeing a stack of crates, she ran up it to the catwalk above, and meets Angelus there. Angelus swung at her, but Sian ducked and kicked the vampire in the back of the knee, making her collapse onto the railing. The slayer grabbed a loop of rope, throwing it around Angelus' neck and yanked her back and forth between the railings several times, then kicked her in the chest, making the vampire staggered back and fall onto her butt. Angelus got up fast, but Sian grabbed onto a pipe above the vampire's head and swung with both feet into her chest again, making Angelus fly back into a barrel and some ducting. She waits on the catwalk for the vampire to come at her again, ready to fight. Angelus charged, Sian grabbed her and diverts Angelus past her and onto the catwalk grating, where she landed with her head against one of the vertical railing bars. Sian kicked her face, and followed it up with several punches and another kick. The vampire started to laugh as Sian grabbed her by the coat and bangs her head into the railing a couple of times.  
"Are you gonna let your old man just burn?"  
Sian looked down and saw the flames getting higher and nearer to her watcher. Angelus took advantage of the distraction and grabbed Sian's legs, lifting her and throwing her over the railing. The slayer managed to control her fall and landed on her feet near Kevin. Angelus took off down the catwalk, helped Rosie get David out from under the bar then the three vampires ran out of the building. Sian woke Kevin and got him to his feet, and she supported him as they make their way from the building as well.  
They both came out coughing from the smoke. Kevin pushed her away from him.  
"Why did you come here? This wasn't your fight!"  
She punched him in the jaw, he span and fell to the pavement.  
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"  
She began to cry. She crouches down to hug him. Kevin began to cry too and hugged her back.  
"You can't leave me. I can't do this alone." The slayer sobbed into her watcher's shoulder.

Later back at the watcher's house the Kevin and Sian stood at the door, with the crime scene tape still across it.

_It hurts sometimes more than we can bear._

Kevin tore the tape from the doorway and just stares at it for several seconds.

_If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow._

Sian took hold of his hand and together the entered the house.

_Empty rooms, shuttered and dank..._

It was a few days later in one of the many graveyards of Weatherfield.

_Without passion, we'd be truly dead._

Kevin was knelt down at Molly's gravestone, laying some flowers on her grave. He looked at her name on the headstone for a moment before standing back up. Sian was there next to him.  
"In my years as...Watcher...I've buried...too many people. But Molly was the first I've loved."  
Sian looked up at her watcher. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't kill her for you..." She looked back down at the grave. "…for her...when I had the chance."  
They both looked back at the gravestone that read just 'Molly Compton'.  
"I wasn't ready. But I think I finally am. I can't hold on to the past anymore. Sophie has gone. Nothing's ever gonna bring her back."

At the same time across town students where waiting at their desk, in Molly's classroom, for the teacher to arrive. Tina walked in and stood at the front of the room.  
"Hi. Principal Stape asked me to fill in for Ms. Compton...u-until the new computer science teacher arrives. So I'm just gonna stick to the lesson plan she left."  
She walked around to the front of the desk looking over the books and things that are there. She placed down her own books, and in the process nudged a few books aside a little. As a result the pen drive that Molly had set next to the books got pushed off of the edge. It fell down between the desk and the small filing cabinet next to it. It hit the floor and span round a few times before coming to rest leaning against the side of the cabinet.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Sorry it has taken so long to upload. At the end of this part is switches between 1955 and 2010 I've italic which years it is in, hope it okay to understand and follow._

**Part 9**

It was another night in the Bronze, Katy and Chesney were dancing close with their arms around each other and smiling. Tina was looking around trying to find Sian. She turned around near the dance floor, looking up and spotted the blonde slayer on the upper level leaning against the railing and watching the band. Behind Sian a boy Ryan approached her. "Hey, Sian."

She turned around a little surprised, then looked confused. "I'm Ben. We had Algebra II together last year."

" Sorry, I pretty much repress anything math-related." The slayer joked half heartily.

" Ms. Jackson? Second period? You sat in the seat three over and one behind." Ben said hopping the beautiful blonde would remember him.

" Oh! Yeah, I remember now, it's the one with the desks and the chalkboards and pencils and stuff, right?"

"That's the one. " Ben chuckled.

Sian smiled and pointed to her head."Like a steel trap."

"So, I was wondering, you know the dance tomorrow night? Are you going?"

"You mean the Sadie Hawkins thing? The deal where the girls ask the boys?"

"Yeah. And I thought maybe, you know, if you're free, you might ask me."

"Oh, gosh... I..." Sian tried to think of a good way to let the boy down. But thankful he got the hint and held up his hands. "Oh, oh, hey, hey, no, don't, don't worry about

it..."

"No, no, you seem like a really great guy, it's...me. I-I'm not seeing anybody. Ever again, actually."

"Oh. That's, that's too bad. Okay, well, I better..." He nudged his head to the side then left in that way leaving Sian on her own.

"Sorry." Sian muttered to herself as she watched him go for a moment, then glanced sadly down at the band. She then slow headed for the stairs. When she reached the bottom of the stairs Tina meets her, having stopped her coming down the stairs.

"Hey! You're bailing?" The brunette asked her best friend.

" Yeah. I'm gonna stop by the library and see if Kevin wants me to patrol, and then sack it."

"You've been doing that a lot. Patrolling and sacking. In fact, you've kind of been All-Work-And-No-Play Sian."

"I play. I have **big** fun. I came here tonight, didn't I?"

"You came, you saw..." Tina glanced up to the upper level. "...you rejected."

"You mean that guy? Just not in date mode right now."

Tina smiled. "Well, maybe you need to date to get in date mode."

"I don't think I'm ready for that, Tina."

" You're thinking too much. Maybe you need to be impulsive." The young witch smiled again.

"Impulsive? Do you remember my ex-girlfriend, the vampire? I slept with her, she lost her soul, now my girlfriend's gone forever, and the demon that wears her face is killing my friends. The next impulsive decision I make will involve my choice of dentures." Sian ranted to her smiling friend.

"Okay, the Sophie thing went badly, I'm on board with that, but that's not your fault. And anyways, love isn't always like that. Love can be... nice!"

Over at Weatherfield High School, a few minutes later, a boy was chasing a girl as she walked away from him determinedly.

"Come back here! We're not finished!" The boy shouted angrily at her. He grabbed her by the arm and turned her around to face him. "You don't care anymore, is that it?"

"No, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what I feel." The girl sobbed.

"Then tell me you don't love me. Say it!" He started shacking her when he said the last bit.

"Will that help? Is that what you need to hear? I don't. I don't! Now let me go." She tried to get away from him.

"No! A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody."

He took a step back from her and raised a revolver. Pulling the hammer back he aimed it at her. She looked at the gun, then up at him, frightened.

"Love is forever." He said to her, the gun shacking in his hand. "I'm not afraid to use it. I swear! If I can't be with you..."

Just then Sian came walking around the corner and saw the couple. "Hey!" She shouted to the armed boy.

"Oh, my God!" The girl breathed out then turned and started to walk away from him. Sian ran to the boy hopping to get the gun off him before anyone got hurt.

"DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME, BITCH!" He screamed to the girl.

Down another hall George the janitor heard the yelling. He dropped his mop and started toward the commotion.

Sian ran at the boy full steam. He looked at her just as she grabbed his arm, raising it and bringing it down over her shoulder, making him drop the gun. She then elbowed him hard in the gut, knocking the breath out of him. She turned around, grabbing him by the shirt and yanking him hard to the floor. His span a turn and a half on his way down and landed hard on his back. The girl just looked on in shock. Sian bended down to pick the boy up by the collar. George arrived at a run and went over to the girl. The pair looked over at Sian and the boy. The slayer pushed the boy away. He was now in open-mouthed shock over what just happened. "What happened?" He asked confused,

"What happened? You just went O.J. on your girlfriend!" The slayer explained to him. He looked over at his girlfriend who just looked away from him.

"This is nuts! I... I don't know why I got so mad."

"Because you're a jerk?"

" He's not. We weren't even fighting a few minutes ago." The girl jumped in defending her boyfriend.

"We weren't, I, I swear to God!" The boy added.

"If you weren't fighting, then why'd you have a gun?" Sian asked him. George looked around the hall.

"I don't, I don't know. I don't even know where I got it." The boy panicked.

"I don't see any gun." George said looking around the hall, Sian looked around confused while the boy also looked around.

Next day at school in the Principal Stapes' office he came in and closed the door behind him.

"I'm sure you know why I asked you here, Miss Powers?"

He walked passed Sian as she took a seat in front of his desk.

"To thank me?"

John Stape walked around his desk. "That's right, I wanna thank you. What would Weatherfield High do without you around to incite mayhem, chaos and disorder?"

"I don't incite! I stopped that boy from killing his girlfriend, ask him. Ask the janitor."

"People can be coerced, Powers. I'm no stranger to conspiracy. I saw JFK. I'm a truth seeker. I've got a missing gun and two confused kids on my hands. Pieces of the puzzle. And I'm gonna look at all the pieces carefully and rationally, and I'm gonna keep looking until I know exactly how this is all your fault."

Sian was about to respond when John's secretary buzzed him on his office intercom. A voice came through from it. "Mr. Stape, Billy Crandal chained himself to the snack machine again."

"Pathetic little no-life vegan." He replayed into the intercom. He walked around his desk to go take care of Billy. Sian stood up to go also.

"Not so fast, missy. I'm not done with you yet. You stink of lies."

He pointed to her chair, and she sat back down and exhaled. He left the office and closed the door behind him. Over to Sian's right was a bookcase with copies of all of the yearbooks since Weatherfield High opened, the one from 1955 slide out on its own and fell. The blonde heard it hit the floor and looked down at it. She got up and bent down to pick it up. She looked at the cover, the back up at its space on the shelf, she shrugged to herself and put the book back.

Across the school in the computer science class, Tina was still substituting for Molly. "So, for next time read the chapters on information grouping and binary coding." She spoke to the students while walking along the front of the class. Kevin looked into the classroom from the hall watching the young witch work.

"I bet you'll think coding is pretty cool. I mean, if you find two-digit, multi-stacked conversions and primary number clusters a big hoot."

Everyone in the class laughed. Just then the bell rang, and the students began to leave. Tina watched them go and noticed Kevin waiting just inside of the doorway.

"Kevin!" She walked over to him. "I made them laugh, did you hear? I did the joke thing!" She smiled to herself and went back to the desk at the front of the house.

The watcher moved towards the desk and sat down while speaking. "Yes, yes, so it seems. I-I mean, um, you did indeed. Good, good, good show. I-I just stopped by to, to see if you needed any assistance, but you seem to have things quite under control."

Tina started putting her things away. "Well, I had good lesson plans. Molly had them on her computer."

"Yes, yes, she was very, um... uh, dedicated."

"And I found a bunch of files and Internet sites on paganism and magic and stuff." The young witch smiled more to herself than to the older man.

"Oh?"

"Yes, it's really interesting."

Kevin looked down away from her. Tina reaches for something on the desk. "And, uh, I found this in her drawer. She told me it was a rose quartz. And it has healing powers." Kevin looked back up at Tina then looked down at her hand. She held up a light pink quartz stone strung on a thin leather thong. "I thought she'd want you to have it."

He got up from the desk and slowly took the necklace from her. He gently turned it over in his hand. "Oh, thank you, Tina, that's, um... that's very thoughtful of you." He turned and left the classroom a bit stunned, Tina watched him go with a small smile on her face.

Later that day in history class, Sian had her chin propped up in her hand, bored with the lecture. She was trying not to fall asleep to the drone of the male teacher's voice.

"Before 1935, the new deal focused on revitalizing stricken business and agricultural communities. And the new deal also tried to regulate the nation's financial hierarchy to avoid another disaster like the 1929 stock market crash."

Sian couldn't help but close her eyes for a moment. The next thing she knew she heard a woman's voice, she shook herself out of her reverie.

"Don't forget, your assignments are due on Friday, class." The female teacher spoke to the class. The students got up and began to leave. Sian looked around and was taken aback by the sudden change of appearance of the classroom and the different dress and hairstyles of the other students.

"I told Ms. Hall we'd go help decorate the gym. Who are you taking?" One girl said while handed a flyer for the Sadie Hawkins Dance to another girl. Sian read the year on the flyer - **1955**.

"David said yes."

"Oh, you're kidding! He's so dreamy!"

Sian looked all around, confused.

"Thank you" Ms. Newman said while collecting papers from the students as they passed her desk. A good looking boy got up to the desk and handed in his paper also.

"Thank you, James. How are you enjoying that book I loaned you? The Hemingway."

Sian observes and listened to the conversation.

"I like it. Very much. It's honest." He slowly reached for Ms. Newman's hand and gently took it.

"Yes, it's, um... it's based on a true story, actually. He fell in love with his..."They were interrupted by the door opening, they quickly let go of their hands.

Suddenly Sian found herself back in her history class as her teacher continued his lecture while writing on the board.

"...hours, child labor..."

Sian stared in surprise at what the teacher is writing.

"...and collective bargaining."

The teacher looked back at the class, all the students started laughing. He looked back at the board to see what was so funny and saw that he's just written "**DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME ****BITCH****!**" in huge letters.

"Oh, my God!" He quickly grabbed an eraser and frantically wiped it away.

A boy stopped laughing and asked anyone that was listening. "Did you see what he wrote?"

In the halls after call Sian and Chesney were walking through the doors from the lounge and headed down the hall.

"I'm telling you, something weird is going on." The slayer told her ginger friend.

"Something weird is going on. Isn't that our school motto?"

"Pretty much. But I don't know. This time it bugs me."

They reached his locker, and he started to work the combination.

"I don't wanna poo-poo your wiggins, but a domestic dispute, a little case of chalkboard Tourette's? All sounds like Hellmouth Lite to me." Once he was finish talking he opened his locker, and a wiry-muscled green arm shot out and grabbed him by the shirt. He screamed, and it pulled at him and slammed him into the locker. Sian grabbed him by the shoulders and tried to pull him away, but the arm was extremely strong and pulled Chesney away from her and against the locker again. He screamed out in pain when he hit it. Sian grabbed him again and pulled harder, this time the arm let go. Chesney fell to the floor as Sian slammed the locker shut. He scrambled back to his feet, and they both looked around the hall and saw the other students' reactions.

They were all confused, but stayed away and just stared. Sian gave Chesney an intent look and indicated they should open his locker again and take a look inside. Chesney rubbed his chin and stood ready as Sian slowly lifted the latch. She slowly opened the door, and they both peeked in, but here was nothing. They opened it all the way, and it appeared to be completely normal.

In the library Tina was at the table studying. She looked up when she heard the doors open, Sian and Chesney walked through. The young witch noticed Chesney's torn shirt.

"Ches, what happened? Did Katy win another round in the broom closet?"

"You're just a big bucket of funny, Tina." The ginger replied.

Sian sat down next to Tina. Chesney walked over to Kevin, who was kneeling down going through some books on a shelf.

"I'll have you know I was just accosted by some kind of, um, locker monster."

Kevin looked up from the books up to Chesney. "Loch Ness Monster?"

"'Locker' monster is what he said. But it wasn't really a monster. It was, like, this big arm that came out of the locker, but then we opened it again, it was gone. Nothing." Sian explained to her watcher.

"This was right after Sian's history teacher starts doing some freaky channeling thing in class." The ginger boy added. The watcher stood up quickly looking alarmed.

"Ooh! Sounds like paranormal phenomena."

"A ghost? Cool!" Tina smiled excited at the thought.

"Oh, no, no. No. No cool. This was no wimpy chain rattler. This was 'I'm dead as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore.'"

"Well, despite the Chesney-speak, that's a fairly accurate definition of a poltergeist."

"I defined something? Accurately?" Chesney closed a book that was on the table. "Guess I'm done with the book learning." He then sat down across from the two females at the table.

"So we have some bad boo on our hands?" The slayer asked her watcher.

"Yes."

"Well, why is it here? Does it just wanna scare people?" Tina asked Kevin also.

"Unfortunately, he doesn't know exactly what he wants. That's, that's the trouble. See, uh, many times the spirit is plagued by all manner of worldly troubles. Being dead, it has no way to, uh, to make its peace. So it, it lashes out, growing ever more confused, ever more angry."

"So it's a normal teenager, only dead." Sian muttered to herself.

"Well, what can we do? Is there any way to stop it?" Tina asked Kevin. The watcher sat down on the table. "Uh, the only tried and true way is to work out what unresolved issues keep it here, and-and-and, um, resolve them."

"Fabulous. Now we're Jeremy Kyle for the deceased." Sian moaned.

"Only if we can find out who this spirit is. Or was."

It was now evening time and George was doing his usual mopping. Behind him a classroom door opened, and a teacher came out to go home.

"Working late Ms. Frank?"

"My fault. Let myself get behind. Is it okay to walk here George? It is George, right?"

"Oh, yes ma'am. You go ahead."

"Thanks. You have a nice evening." She made her way over the floor George had just cleaned.

"You too. Drive safe. Oh, Ms. Frank?"

"Yes?"

Suddenly George dropped his mop and approaches her. "You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over."

Ms. Frank shock her head. "There's no way we can be together." She stepped closer to him as she continued to talk. "No way people will ever understand. Accept it."

"Is that what this is about? What other people think?"

"No! I just want you to be able to have some kind of a normal life. We can never have that. Don't you see?"

"I don't give a damn about a normal life! I'm going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute."

She stepped closer still and put her hand up on his cheek. He looked down sadly.

"I know. But it's over. It has to be."

She turned around and started to leave again. He looked up again and started to chase after her.

"Come back here! We're not finished yet!" He shouted angrily at her, grabbing her by the arm, turning her around to face him.

"You don't care anymore? Is that it?"

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what I feel." She started to sob.

"Then tell me you don't love me. Say it!"

"Will that help? Is that what you have to hear? I don't. I don't. Now let me go." She tired to get away.

"No. A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody."

A gun materialized in his hand. He took a step back and raised the revolver. He pulled the hammer back and aimed it at her. She looked at the gun, fear all over her face.

"Love is forever. I'm not afraid to use it. I swear. If I can't be with you..."

"Oh, my God." She tried to walk away again.

"DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME, BITCH!"

In the library Kevin noticed George's loud yelling and looked up from his desk. He got up, while taking off his glasses, and walked out of his office to the area behind the checkout counter. There he heard a faint female voice. " _I need you_."

He looked around for a moment, then jumped to a conclusion.

"Molly?"

The watcher made his way out in the hall. He walked down it till he arrived at the hall intersection.

"Don't!""

Kevin looked in the direction of George's voice and saw him out on the balcony holding the gun up to Ms. Frank.

"Don't do that, damn it! Don't talk to me like I'm some dumb..."

The gun went off. Kevin rushed to the other side of the intersection and hided behind the corner. He watched the events as they unfold. Outside went into shock from the bullet wound and began to fall backward. She tumbled over the balcony railing and fell down to the base of the stairs below. George looked over the railing and saw her lying dead, her eyes closed. He panicked and ran into the hall. As he reached the intersection Kevin rushed out. The watcher grabbed him and tackled him to the floor. George loosed his grip on the gun and it slid away. As it did it dissolves and disappears in a whiff of black vapor. George raised his head as Kevin got to his knees behind him and held him down.

"What's going on?" George asked confused.

"What's going on? You just shot a woman."

George was stunned by the realization that it actually happened.

Across town there was a modern-looking but deserted mansion. Inside in an atrium Angelus came in leading David and Rosie on a tour.

"And this... this is the garden."

"Wow!" Rosie walked through. "Look. Jasmine." She held a flower to his nose.

"Night blooming." Angelus started playing with some pruning shears.

"Like us. Oh, Angelus, it's fairyland." She turned in excitement. "Ooh!" Something else caught her eye.

David was still at the entrance sitting in a wheel chair. The beam that fell on him when the warehouse went on fire had badly broken his legs, even for a vampire. "It's paradise. Big windows, lovely gardens. It'll be perfect when we want the sunlight to kill us."

"If you don't like it, David, hit the stairs and go. Take a stand, man."

"Well, our old place was just fine till you went and had it burned down."

Angelus walked around the centre stone table in the middle of the atrium. "Things change, David. You gotta roll with the punches. Well, actually, you pretty much got that part down, haven't you?"

"Very funny, mate."

Angelus came and stood behind Rosie. "What can I say? I just love to see you smile, buddy."She held up a jasmine bloom and brushes it across Rosie's cheek as she growls into her ear.

"Yeah, you're a giver." He turned and rolled out.

Next day in the library Kevin was in his office, and the others were standing outside his door, listening to him explain what happened last night.

"It was just as with the, the couple you encountered the other night, Sian. The, the janitor remembered everything. He, he knew he'd killed this poor woman, but he had no idea why. Well, they-they had no intimate relationship." He came out with a few books and headed into the main area, they all followed him.

"What about the gun? Did you find it?" Tina asked the older man.

"No, no. The police, everybody, we -we searched high and low. I think it's very clear what's happening here." He went into the cage with the books and puts them away.

Fill me in then, 'cause I've read the book, seen the movie, and I'm still fuzzy about what's going on." Chesney asked confused about what the watcher was on about.

"It's Molly." The watcher explained.

"What?" Sian asked her watcher looking at him like he was nuts.

"You think she's the ghost?" Chesney asked.

"Well, don't you see? Well, she-she died here under tragic circumstances, a-and now she's trapped."

"But what about the gun? I mean, Angelus didn't shoot Molly." Tina piped up.

"The gun is insignificant. It's the violence of the thing that matters." He went back into his office.

"I don't know. These fights these couples keep having, it's sort of... specific." Sian spoke loud enough for Kevin to hear her in his office.

"She's right. It's a pattern that doesn't fit with the way Molly's died." Tina also spoke loudly.

Kevin came back out of his office. "Yes, well, I, uh, I appreciate your thoughts on the matter, I, in fact I... well, I **encourage** you to, to always, uh, challenge me, uh, when you feel it's appropriate. You should never be cowed by authority. Except, of course, in this instance, when I am clearly right and you are clearly wrong." He went back into his office and closed the door before anyone else could argue with him.

A few minutes later Tina, Chesney and Sian came into the computer science classroom.

"This is freaky. I don't ever remember ever seeing Kevin be this weird." Tina said while she sat down on the desk and typed at her laptop.

Chesney leaned on a table behind her. "I know. He's usually Investigate-Things-From-Every-Boring-Angle Guy. Now he's I-Cling-Onto-My-One-Lame-Idea Guy. What gives?"

Sian walked to the other side of the desk. "He misses her. He can't think. Just a little more fallout from my love life."

"Okay, but this ghost stuff is something else. Let me do a crosscheck on other shootings at the school." Tina started to load up the computer on the desk.

"Yeah, we need some alternate ghost theories. What do we know?" Sian asked her friends.

"Dog spit is cleaner than human." Chesney answered.

"Besides that?" The slayer rolled her eyes at her friend.

"Oh, boy, we know plenty." Tina piped up while she scrolled through a newspaper article on the computer. The title read "Weatherfield High Jock Kills Lover, Self".

"It says a student murdered a teacher on the night of the Sadie Hawkins Dance. The rumour was they were having an affair, and she tried to break it off. After he killed her, he went into the music room and shot himself."

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a ghost. It is one of those two, right?" Chesney pointed to the screen.

Tina nodded to her childhood friend. "It all fits: the gun, the Sadie Hawkins Dance."

"Which is tonight." The blonde slayer added.

"How come we've never heard about this murder-suicide thing before? When did it happen?" The ginger boy asked.

"1955."

Tina and Chesney both looked up at Sian surprised she knew that.

"How did you know?" The brunette asked.

A short while later, Sian sets the 1955 Weatherfield High yearbook on the desk and opened it to a picture of Ms. Newman. "Okay, here's the new strangeness. I dreamt about this woman, Grace Newman, the other day." She turned more pages. "Her and this guy."

"Jim Stanley? He's the one. He did it." Tina asked her.

"Your dreams are getting wicked accurate, Sian. You wouldn't happen to see me coming across some big cash? Or possibly knowing the love of a woman? In a full body sense?"

Sian ignored him. "He couldn't make her love him, so he killed her. Sicko." She stepped away from the book.

Tina looked at the picture of him and read his information under it. "He looks so normal on this picture. He was smart, too. He made the honour roll."

"Smart." Sian said looking back at the book.

"He killed a person and killed himself. Those are pretty much two of the dumbest things you could do."

"I know Ches, but... Well, don't you feel kind of bad for them?"

"Sure I feel lousy. For her. He's a murderer and he should pay for it." Sian said angrily.

"With his life?"

"No Tina, he should be doing sixty years in a prison, breaking rocks and making special friends with Roscoe the Weightlifter."

"Yikes. The quality of mercy is not Sian." Chesney looked at the blonde shocked at her words.

"Whose ghost do you think we're dealing with? His or hers?" Tina asked her two best friends.

"Well, considering how violent it is, I'm gonna say his." Sian answered

Tina sat back down at the desk. "Well, I've been browsing on some of Ms. Compton's pagan sites. Maybe I can find a way to communicate with them and...we can find out what he wants."

"Who cares what he wants? We need to shut him down before some other innocent guy goes and kills some poor nice girl and then blows his brains out all over the music room wall."

"Okay!" Chesney smiled at the slayer then rubbed his hands together. "Who's hungry?"

In the cafeteria kraut dogs and spaghetti were on the menu for that day. Katy had opted for spaghetti, and after paying came over to the team's table with her tray and sat down next to her boyfriend "I hope you guys aren't going to the Sadie Hawkins Dance tonight, 'cause I'm organizing a boycott. Do you realize that the girls have to ask the guys? And pay and everything? I mean, whose genius idea was that?"

"Obviously, some hairy-legged feminist." Chesney answered his girlfriend.

"Really! Well, we need to nip this thing in the butt. I mean, otherwise, things are going to get really scary."

Suddenly they heard several students scream, the hotdogs and spaghetti had all turned into snakes. A boy pulled his snakedog away from his mouth, he had a snake protruding from his lips. He dropped the bun, spat out the snake and quickly got up, backing away from his table. Chesney and the others looked back at their table and saw snakes all over it as well. They quickly got up, except for Katy, who was too busy screaming to think. When she did finally look at the table again a snake lunged at her and bite her on the cheek. She reacted fast and threw the snake off of her and ran. Stape came through the door and saw the mayhem. He stepped back just as a student came running by and fell over a table. Moments later the cafeteria was deserted except for the snakes.

Half an hour later outside Weatherfield high the police were watching a team of pest controllers gather up the snakes, which in half an hour had managed to make their way around the whole school. Students were still fleeing the building and running around. In one of the ambulance, Katy and Chesney sat in the back while paramedic dress Katy's snakebite.

"Perfect. I'm gonna be scarred and swollen. Why didn't they just kill me?" Katy moaned to her boyfriend.

Over at the Police Chief's car Stape held the door open as the Chief got out.

"Schoolboy pranks?" He asked the principal

"Never sell. " He slammed the door shut and they started walking towards the school.

"The sewer got backed up."

"Better. I can probably make that one fly. But this is getting out of hand. People will talk."

"You'll take care of it."

"I'm doing everything I can, but you people have to realize..."

Two men came over to them. The first man spoke to principal Stape. "Stape, what's going on here?"

"Backed up sewer line. Same thing happened in London just last week."

The chief and Stape continued into the high school.

"We're on a Hellmouth, Chief. Sooner or later, people are gonna figure that out."

"The city council was told that you could handle this job. If you feel that you can't, perhaps you'd like to take that up... with the Mayor." He turned and left Stape on his own.

"I'll handle it. I will." He spoke to himself.

That night at Sian's house her and her friend's was in the slayer's bedroom. Sian was on her bed, Chesney was in her wicker chair, Katy was kneeling and leaning against the bed.

Tina was standing near the window. "Remember the plan to contact the spirit and talk to it? Scrap that plan. Sian, you were right. The time for touchy-feely communication is passed. I've done some homework and found the only solution is the final solution."

"Nuke the school?" Chesney grinned. "I like that."

"Not quite. Exorcism."

"Are you crazy? I saw that movie! Even the priest died." Katy looked at Tina like she was crazy.

"What's the deal?" Sian asked the young witch ignoring what Katy had said. Tina laid a map of the school building down on the bed, and they all leaned in to look at it.

"Okay," Tina started to explain her plan. "see here, the balcony? That's where the original teacher died back in 1955 and that teacher last night. That's the hot spot where all the bad mojo is coming from. We need to create a Mangus-tripod."

"A what?" Katy asked

Tina pointed to the map. "One person chants here on the hot spot. And the other three chant in other places around the school forming a triangle. It's supposed to bind the bad spirit and keep it from doing any more harm."

"Well, I'll take the hot spot." Sian took the map. "If there's trouble, that's where it'll be."

Tina nods.

"This ghost, this James guy, is fixating on you, Sian. The dreams, the yearbook... You sure you can handle it?" Chesney asked his friend worried for her safety.

"Well, I'm hoping he'll show. I truly am."

Over at the school the slayer, young witch, ginger haired boy and his girlfriend all came into the hall from the outside.

"Okay, we all have our places. We do the chant and light the candle at midnight exactly. Any questions?" Sian turned around to see if any of her friends did have any questions.

Katy lifted her arm up. "Yeah, what if this mangled triangle thingy doesn't work?"

"Oh! I almost forgot. I made us all scapulas." Tina handed them out to them all.

"Okay, so we can flip the ghost over when it turns a nice golden brown?" Chesney joked.

"Scapula, not spatula. Um, you wear it around your neck for protection." The young witch placed hers around her neck.

"You expect me to wear this? It smells like grandpa breath."

"Sorry Katy, I didn't have a lot of time. I had to use sulfur. Stinky, but effective."

"Okay, let's do this." They all nodded at the slayer and continued into the student lounge.

"No problem. This will be a piece of cake. Right?" Katy asked before the all heard a creaking and then a crashing noise. They jumped and looked in that direction and see that the doors at the end of the hall had slammed shut on their own. One by one the other doors at the ends of the two intersecting halls slam shut.

In the atrium at the mansion across town, Rosie sifted through the dirt in one of the large planters. David was sat in his wheelchair near the doorway, and Angelus was on the bench behind Rosie.

"Maybe I'll sleep underground. Dig myself a little burrow." Rosie spoke dreamily to herself.

"What about your pretty dress, sweet? It'll get all dirty." David asked his lover.

"Then I'll sleep naked. Like the animals do."

"You know, I'm suddenly liking this plan." Angelus smirked to herself, looking Rosie up and down. Rosie lay down on the ground in front of the planter.

David snared at Angelus "Fortunately, nobody cares what you like, mate."

"Oh, yeah? Let's ask Rosie."

Angelus slide off of the bench and crouched down looking at Rosie. Rosie began to laugh as she had a vision.

"There's a gate!" She rolled onto her back, laughing. "It's opening!" She got up onto her knees.

"Incoming! I love when she does this." Angelus grinned happily to herself.

"What gate, pet? What do you see?" David wheeled over closer to her.

Rosie bounced gleefully. "It's black." She hummed. "It wants her." She hummed again. Angelus crawled up behind her. "Wants who?"

"The Slayer. It's time, Angelus." She stood up. "She's ready for you now." She began to move. "She's dancing. Dancing with death."

"Big deal. She won't do anything. Our woman Angelus here likes to talk but she's not much for action. All hat and no cattle."

Angelus grabbed Rosie's waist. "I don't know about that." She turned Rosie around. "I think this whole Slayer thing has run its course." She crouched down by her. "I'm ready to focus my energy elsewhere."

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah! What, with you being Special Needs Boy, I figure I should stick close to home." She walked his fingers up Rosie's thigh and waist. "You and Rosie can always use another pair of hands."

Rosie cooed with delight, Angelus chuckled maniacally, while David looked at the two of them angrily.

Tina walks along the hall just outside of the school library. She slowed down to look down the other hall before continuing. Behind her Kevin opened the door of the library, and she screamed out in fright. He startled and yells out, too.

"God, Tina, what are you doing here? You're not supposed to be inside."

"Me? What about you?"

"I'm, uh, I'm, I'm trying to, uh..." He place on his glasses. "I think I-I may be close to, uh, contacting Molly."

Tina gave him an understanding look. He started to go back into the library, but turned back. "What's that smell?"

"It's my scapula."

"Ah, right, of course. Did you use sulfur?"

"Yeah."

"That's clever. Uh, well, uh, run along then. Th-there may be some, uh, paranormal ph-phenomena if I contact her. Y-y-you don't want to be in the line of fire."

He went back into library, and the door swing shut behind him.

"Okay. 'Night."

Katy came into the girls' bathroom with her candle and flashlight and looked around, the place was deserted. She saw her reflection in the mirror, with a bandage on her cheek. She walked over to it and set the candle down on the shelf. She pulled off the bandage and winced at the pain. Leaning toward the mirror she inspected the twin fang marks on her cheek.

In the hall Sian walked along and hears the song "I Only Have Eyes For You", by The Flamingos, playing somewhere. She headed towards the music, down another hall she could see shadows in a bright light dancing against a wall.

_My love must be a kind of blind love_

She walked closer to the sound of the music and through a pair of doors.

_I can't see anyone but you_

Beyond them was another set of doors to the music room. A Class of '55 Sadie Hawkins Dance flyer was taped to one of the door windows. Sian stepped over to the other door and looked in. There she saw James and Grace dancing slowly to the music.

In the cafeteria there were still a few snakes there. Chesney came in and looked around.

"Oh, yeah, baby, it's snakalicious in here."

Over at the landing, up the stairs from the student lounge. Tina stepped up to it and looked around nervously.

Back over in the other hall Sian was watching James and Grace slowly turn as they dance.

_The moon may be high / but I can't see a thing in the sky_

When James turned into view again Sian saw that his face was all rotted.

_'Cause I only have eyes for you_

Sian stared back in open-mouthed shock but James and Grace were suddenly gone.

In the girls' bathroom Katy dig in her purse for some makeup. When she looked back up and was about to put some on, the side of her face, with the snakebite, suddenly rotten. She screamed at the top of her lungs.

On the landing Tina set her candle down on the floor. Below her the floor suddenly started to swirl, and a green demonic hand reached up and grabbed her, pulling her down. She screamed for all her worth, and grabbed the stair railing to keep from being pulled in.

"KEVIN!"

The watcher heard her screams and came running.

"TINA!"

"KEVIN! KEVIN!"

The pull was too strong, and she was losing her grip on the railing.

"WHERE ARE YOU?" Kevin came running into the lounge area.

"PLEASE! HELP! HELP ME!"

He turned and saw her sinking into the floor. He scrambled up the stairs to her aid.

"HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP!"

He grabbed her arms and started to pull. She screamed again as the pit continued to try and suck her in. Kevin let out a grunt and managed to slowly lift her out. When she was free of the pit she suddenly snapped into his arms, and they both went rolling down the stairs.

On the balcony, where Ms. Frank had died, Sian put her scapula around her neck and pulled her hair out of the back. Suddenly she sensed something and stared off into space. She had a vision of Ms. Newman running out of the hall onto the balcony being chased by James with his gun.

"Stop!" James shouted at her.

"Just calm down, James."

James started shaking the gun at her, it went off. Ms. Newman clutched her chest over the bullet wound. She pulled her hand away and looked at the blood. Sian just stood and watched the whole thing happened, like she was stuck to the spot.

James made his way to the music room. Once inside he put on a record and started crying. He raised the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

Back on the balcony Sian was still stuck to stop when suddenly James came up to her with a rotted face and grabbed her by the arms.

"Get out!"

The vision of him faded quickly, and she took a few steps back.

In the girls' bathroom Katy was panting with fear, covering her face with her hands. She looked into the mirror again and saw that her face is suddenly normal again. She pulled her hands away and took a closer look and began to calm down a bit.

Down in the lounge Kevin got up and went up a few steps to make sure that the pit was gone. Once he saw it was gone he came back down to Tina.

"Are you all right?"

She was still very frightened. "Kevin, Molly could never be this mean."

He glanced up at the landing. "I know. It's, it's not her, is it?"

"I'm sorry."

The town clock began to strike midnight.

"Oh, God. Oh." Tina scrambled back up to the landing to light the candle, Kevin following behind her.

"Careful up here!"

Katy was nervous but ready with her candle and lighter in the bathroom.

Sian stroked a match and lit her candle on the balcony.

On the landing Tina struggled with her lighter. The flame wouldn't ignite. Kevin crouched down, took it from her and lit the candle.

"I shall confront and expel all evil." Tina started to speak.

In the girls' bathroom Katy lit her candle.

"I shall *totally* confront and expel all evil."

In the cafeteria Chesney sat on a table with his lit candle before him. He had his legs crossed, hands folded and eyes closed as if inprayer.

"Out of marrow and bone..."

On the balcony Sian lit her candle.

"Out of house and home... never to come here again."

On the landing Kevin and Tina looked around, nothing was happening.

In the cafeteria Chesney opened his eyes, nothing happens there either.

In the bathroom Katy looked around also, all seemed quiet.

Over at the balcony Sian watched as a breeze blew out her candle. She looked in the direction of the gust.

On the landing the candle there had been blown out, too, Kevin and Tina exchanged a look.

In the cafeteria Chesney's candle was out also. He looked around nervously.

In the girls' bathroom Katy watched the smoke drifted from the glowing wick of her now unlit candle.

On the lounge Kevin and Tina came down the stairs and looked down the hall. They heard a faint buzzing, it steadily got louder. At the far end of the hall they saw a dark swarm of wasps coming toward them.

"Oh, my God!"

They both broke into a dead run. As they rounded a corner Sian and Katy joined them from another hall. "You all right?" The watcher asked the two girls while still running. Chesney came running out of the cafeteria and kept up pace to join them. They all reached the far end of the hall where the doors were jammed shut.

"Get back!" The slayer shouted. Kevin backed off, and Sian kicked the door open, shattering the glass. They all immediately ran out, the wasps were right behind them. When they reached the street Chesney looked back and stops.

"Check it."

They all stopped and turned to look as well.

"I'd say school's out for good."

They all stared in amazement. Kevin took off his glasses. The wasps had arranged themselves in a wall around the school so that nothing could get in or out.

In Sian's living room, she was leaning against the wall. Kevin and the others were seated around the coffee table. He poured some tea for himself. There was also a pot of coffee for the others.

"The good news is none of you girls were shot. Well, we've established, based on all the parallels and- and Sian's visions, that it's James' spirit." Kevin said while putting the tea pot back down on the coffee table.

"So what do we do, Kevin? About James." Tina asked the watcher.

"Well, he's obviously reliving the night of the Sadie Hawkins Dance when he killed Ms. Newman. It-it's-it's common enough for a spirit to do this, to... recreate a, a tragedy."

"Hey. If Weatherfield High School shuts down forever, do we automatically graduate?" Katy asked while munching a cracker.

Chesney ignored her. "But why? What does he want?" Suddenly Katy's question hit him. "Actually, that's an interesting point."

"He's, he's trying to... resolve whatever issues are keeping him in limbo. W-w-what exactly those are, I'm not..." Sian interrupted her watcher "He wants forgiveness."

Kevin leaned back. "Yes." He got up and made his way over to her. "I imagine he does. But when James possesses people, they act out exactly what happened that

night. So he's experiencing a form of purgatory instead. I mean, he's, he's doomed to, to kill his Ms. Newman over and over and over again, and...forgiveness is impossible."

"Good. He doesn't deserve it."

"To forgive is an act of compassion, Sian. It's, it's not done because people deserve it. It's done because they need it."

"No. James destroyed the one person he loved the most in a moment of blind passion. And that's not something you forgive. No matter why he did what he did. And no matter if he knows now that it was wrong and selfish and stupid, it is just something he's gonna have to live with."

"He can't live with it, Sian. He's dead." Chesney said to the blonde. She just looked back at them all for a moment, then stalked off into the kitchen.

"Okay. Overidentify much?" Katy carried on munching on her cracker.

Sian came into the kitchen. She put her hands in her pockets and founds a folded sheet of paper, she pulled it out and unfolded it. It was a Class of '55 Sadie Hawkins Dance flyer. She placed the flyer down on the counter and heard a faint male voice.

"I need you."

She left the house through the kitchen door.

In the living room Tina got up from her chair.

"So what do we do next? Do we go in again?" She asked Kevin while heading over to him.

"Well, not now. No, the, uh... the spirit is too angry, too, too powerful. No, we have to work out exactly how and, and if this thing can be defeated."

Over at Weatherfield High it was still surrounded by the swarm of wasps. Sian walked up to it anyway, the swarm parted to let her in. When she reached the doors they opened for her, and the swarm closed the gap behind her.

Back in Sian's kitchen Tina came in looking for her. "Hey, Sian, are you..." See saw the flyer lying on the island and picked it up.

"Oh, God. Kevin!" The watcher came through into the kitchen. "She went back."

At Weatherfield high school Kevin, Chesney, Tina and Katy all stood in front of it looking at the swarm.

"So what now? Not even a mega-vat of Raid's gonna do the trick here." Chesney asked.

"I don't get it. Is she trying to be a big loner hero or something?" Kevin frowned at Katy's question. "No. I believe she's under the spirit's thrall. He's, he's calling her."

"But why?"

"James needs her to re-enact everything that happened on the night that he, he killed Ms. Newman. He wants to change things, make, make a happy ending."

"But it can't ever happen! It always ends the same, which means Sian just went in there to get shot, Kevin." Tina scared truly frighten for her best friend.

"Yes. But the school's deserted. There's no way for James to... to play his part. There's, there's no man inside for him to possess."

" So Sain should be safe until we find a way to get her out." Chesney asked.

"In theory, yeah."

Inside the school Sian walked idly through the halls. She stopped by the trophy case, she turned around to look inside it. Angelus walked in and stood behind her, even though Sian couldn't see her ex lover's reflection she knew she was there.

"Fun fact about wasps." Sian still didn't turn around. "They have no taste for the undead. Not that a sting would do me any damage, it's just... tonight's special. I wanted to look my best for you."

"You're the only one. The only person I can talk to." Sian spoke quietly.

"Gosh, Sian. That's really pathetic."

The slayer turned to face the vampire. "You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over."

"Actually..." The vampire approached her. "I can. In fact...I just want you to be able to have some kind of normal life. We can never have that, don't you see?"

"I don't give a **damn** about a normal life! I'm going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute."

Angelus raised her hand to Sian's cheek.

_1955_ Grace put her hand on James' cheek, he looked down sadly.

"I know. But it's over. It has to be!" She said sadly to him. She turned around and started to leave. He looked up again and started to chase after her.

_2010_ Sian chased after Angelus. "Come back here! We're not finished!"

Sian grabbed the vampire by the arm and turned her around to face her.

"You don't care anymore, is that it?"

Angelus started to sob. "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what I feel."

"Then tell me you don't love me!" _1955_ "Say it!"

"Is that what you need to hear? Will that help? I don't."

_2010 _"I don't. Now let me go." Angelus tried to get away from the blonde.

"No. A person doesn't just wake up and stop loving somebody!"

_1955_ Grace looked at James. He took a step back and raised a revolver, he pulled the hammer back and aimed it at her.

_2010_ Angelus looked at the gun and then at Sian, frightened.

"Love is forever. I'm not afraid to use it, I swear! If I can't be with you..."

"Oh, my God!"

Angelus turned around and started running out of the hall toward the balcony.

_1955 _Grace ran from the hall.

"DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME..." James screamed.

_2010_ "...BITCH!" Sian screamed the rest.

Angelus ran out of the hall, Sian ran after her.

_1955_ James ran after Grace.

_2010_ Angelus barged through the door out onto the balcony.

"Stop it!" Sian came out the door after her. "Stop it! Don't make me!"

Angelus stopped next to the balcony railing. She was breathing heavily with fear. "All right. Just... " She turned around to the blonde.

_1955_ Grace turned around to face James. "You know you don't want to do this. Let's both... just calm down. Now give me the gun." She held her hand out for James to give her the gun.

"Don't. Don't do that, damn it!"

_2010_ "Don't talk to me like I'm some stupid..." Sian said back in 2010. Suddenly the gun went off, Angelus flinched from the wound.

Outside the school, Kevin and the others heard the gunshot. Tina drew in a worried breath, thinking her friend had been shot.

On the balcony, Angelus clutched her hand to her chest. She pulled it away and saw the blood. She looked up at Sian who just stared back in open-mouthed shock at what she had just done.

"James."

_1955_, Grace went into shock from the bullet wound and began to fall backward. She tumbled over the balcony railing and fell down to the base of the stairs below.

_2010_ Sian just stared at the balcony in shock.

_1955_ James saw Grace below lying dead with her eyes closed. He slowly went back into the hall.

_2010_ Angelus lay prone at the base of the stairs below.

Sian slowly came into the music room.

At the same time Angelus' eyes suddenly open. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked up at the balcony.

Back in the music room Sian walked to the record player at the back of the room. She turned it on and began playing the record.

_My love must be a kind of blind love_

Sian looked over into a mirror, but it wasn't her that looked back it was James looking back at her. Her eyes were full of tears as she looked at him. In the mirror he looked down at the gun in his hand.

_I can't see anyone but you_

Sian was also facing the gun in her hand. She raised it slowly, but a hand took it and pushed it back down. She turned and finds herself face to face with Angelus.

"Grace!"

"Don't do this."

"But-but I killed you."

"It was an accident. It wasn't your fault."

"Oh, it **is** my fault. How could I..."

"Shhh. I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you. But I never did. I loved you with my last breath."

Sian let out a few sobs.

"Shhh... No more tears." Angelus said while leaning into the slayer.

_1955_, Grace and James kissed. At the same time in 2010. Angelus and Sian kissed. They held each other tightly as they continued kissing for a long time. Above them in the ceiling a bright light appeared, and the spirits of Grace and James left this world for the next. As quickly as it appeared the light was gone, Sian and Angelus gently broke off their kiss and opened their eyes.

"Sophie."

Suddenly the vampire growled, she pushed the slayer away and ran from the room, leaving Sian there in shock.

Back in the library half an hour later, Kevin was paces behind the counter. The door opened and Tina, Chesney and Katy came in.

"Everything seems normal. Not a snake, not a wasp." Tina informed the watcher.

"Yep. School can open again tomorrow." Katy added.

"Explain to me again how that's a good thing." Chesney moaned/joked to his girlfriend. They all leant against the counter. "I'm drawing a blank." Katy said back to her boyfriend after thinking about it. Kevin went back into his office where Sian was resting. "Are you feeling any better?"

"James picked me. I guess... I guess I was the one he could relate to. He was so sad."

Kevin sat down next to her. "Well... they can both rest now."

"I still... A part of me just doesn't understand why she would forgive him."

"Does it matter?"

"No. I guess not."

Over in the atrium at the mansion, Angelus stood by the fountain with only a bra on her top half. She was breathing frantically and scrubbing herself hard with the water.

"You might want to let up. They say when you've drawn blood, you've exfoliated." David said wheeling through after watching Angelus from the doorway for a few minutes.

"What do you know about it? I'm the one who was friggin' violated. You didn't have this thing in you." She walked from the fountain and passes David in disgust.

"What was it? A demon?" Rosie asked from her place sitting at the fountain.

"Love!" Angelus said in disgust while grabbing a clean shirt and putting it on.

"Poor Angelus."

Angelus walked back toward Rosie. "Let's get outta here. I need a real vile kill before sunup to wipe this crap out of my system." She pulled on her jacket over her still-unbuttoned shirt. Rosie came up to her and growled. Angelus snarled back to her.

"Of course. We'll find you a nice toddler." Rosie snarled back at her. Angelus started going up the stairs out of the garden. Rosie went over to her lover. "Want to come, pet?" Angelus made her way back down the stairs. "No can do, Rosie. I'm sure he'd be hell on wheels, but we don't have much time." She moved towards David and put her hands on his shoulders. "Gotta travel light. Sorry. Try to have fun without me."

Angelus went back up the stairs, and Rosie made haste to follow her. David

watched them go with an angry look on his face and exhales. "Oh, I will." He took his foot from its footrest and placed it on the ground. He slowly got up and stood tall, apparently recovered from his weakness. He kicks back at his wheelchair angrily. It goes spinning away. He looks back up at the garden entryway. "Sooner than you think."


End file.
